


The Wars We Fight

by 318



Series: Asguardians Of The Galaxy [2]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Brotherly Love, Gen, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 06:50:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20719901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/318/pseuds/318
Summary: Together with the Guardians, Loki and Thor are off to the Galaxy, trying to start anew. They have to learn the hard way it's easier said than done. Between dealing with conflicts older than themselves and the Guardians' desperate search for Gamora, the brothers have to relearn what it means to truly stand by each other's side.





	1. Redecoration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hei!  
So after writing Take Care Of It, I felt liking writing a follow-up. If I created my own little universe where things are fixed, why not explore it further?
> 
> Truth be told, I write mostly for myself. My own stories are the ones where the characters, arcs and jokes are most to my liking, obviously ;) But some liked Take Care Of It, so have fun with the follow-up.
> 
> I'd recommend reading Take Care Of It before The Wars We Fight, otherwise there will emerge a few questions, I think. Warning: Still no native speaker, but I try my best ^^

Loki sighed deeply and shifted his weight to the other foot. Growing up with Thor, he knew from painful experience how much time his brother spent in the bathroom. Moreover, on Asgard his hair hat been much more cared for than here. _And_ he had had assistance there! So one could just wonder how many hours it would take him all by himself. 

Dissatisfied with himself, Loki clicked his tongue. It was his fault. He had sent Thor to the bathroom and threatened to tear out every single hair on his head himself if he didn’t come out decently for once. Waiting endlessly was his reward. 

Finally, Loki surrendered and crossed their shared room. He carefully walked around Thor’s… whatever it was. Some electronic device he brought from Midgard and was absolutely smitten with. Loki didn’t know what it was and honestly didn’t care to figure it out. It provided him a few Thor-free hours every day, the only time his brother left - although reluctantly - his side. He took one wide step over some of Thor’s shirts on the ground and sighed again. He was beyond glad to be reunited with his brother. He was. 

But - it was just one week, and Loki already felt the need to stab someone. Sometimes his brother was just too much for Loki to bear, especially after he had spent nearly a decade surrounded by people that had no idea who he was. Anonymity had worn him out over time, now he all but wished for it. On board of the Benatar it was all but impossible to be alone.

In some way, Loki had thought as soon as he was back his old brother would return, too. Only this new Thor was changed in ways Loki hadn't anticipated. He wasn’t sure he was able to keep up with him, let alone make him whole again.

He knocked at Groot’s door. 

“I am Groot?”

Loki smirked. Teenagers. “It’s me. I just want to use your bathroom.”

“I am _Grooooot_!”

He stepped in, grimaced and hurried up. At least Thor’s room didn’t smell like rotten twigs. Quickly he clicked the small door shut and inhaled carefully. Better. Yet a little magic couldn’t possibly hurt, could it?

After five minutes Loki had finished, thanked a very indifferent Groot and was back in their room. Still no sight of Thor. 

“Brother,” he said outside of the bathroom, trying to use a composed voice. He mostly succeeded. “Is everything alright?”

He could hear Thor huffing. “Yes. Go away.”

Checking the time, Loki called, “They leave in 20 minutes. Will you be ready by then?”

It was the first time since Loki came officially back to life for the Guardians to take a trip outside of the Benatar. Loki had actually managed to persuade his brother to join Drax, Nebula and Mantis, who wanted to spar. He would go with the other Guardians to the market and was looking forward to it. He had a few ideas what he could do to upgrade their room, and he had no intention to have his brother at his heels the whole afternoon. And if Thor missed Drax, Mantis and Nebula leaving, that’s where he would dwell. 

But not if Loki had a say. He ignored Thor’s doubtful “sure” and stepped in. 

“Hey, I didn’t lock the door because I wanted you to come in!”

“Oh brother, you know petty locks can’t stop - what have you done?”

Thor was dressed for sparring and his damp hair was combed and hung over his shoulders. Only when he turned around, Loki’s eyes went wide. He didn’t know if he should laugh or cry.

His brother had insisted on keeping his long beard, claiming he would plait it when Loki suggested cutting it. Only Thor never did it since, and Loki had to force him to take care of his hair earlier this morning.

Now he had done… something. It was a simple braid, but the hair had too many different lengths, and so most of it sticked out.

Sighing for the third time, Loki waved his fingers and the entangled hair went smooth. 

A wide smile on his lips, Thor followed Loki’s actions in the mirror. “Could you do it? You were always better at braiding than me anyway.”

Loki swallowed when their eyes met and nodded shortly. He plaited Thor’s beard quickly, in the same style he had seen him wear it during the last battle against Thanos. _This_ was the reason Loki felt uncomfortable on the Benatar. Not the limited space. Not Thor’s permanent presence. Hel, not even Nebula with her cold stare, or the other idiots. It was the way his brother looked at him. A gaze full of admiration and fondness, like Loki was the best thing that had ever happened to him and his attendance alone was enough to fix all of Thor’s problems. 

Loki couldn’t stand this look. He knew he wasn’t someone who earned it. All he did was survive Thanos, cowardly. And Thor adored him in return. Even if now Loki had no intention to let him down, he knew it was only a matter of time before he disappointed Thor. Betrayed him, maybe. And he didn’t know what he could do about it. 

Clearing his throat, Loki declared, “Done. What do you think?”

Thor admired his reflection thoroughly. “As I said, you are the best at braiding. Thank you!”

Again he smiled, and Loki couldn’t stop remembering the past. A sunny afternoon in Asgard. Loki had braided Thor’s hair, and Fandral shouted, “Amazing, Thor! Loki should think about becoming a handmaiden. He’s qualified!” 

After all these years, Loki could still hear Thor’s laughter. “He’s the best,” he had teased. “The sister I always wanted!” 

He had clapped Loki’s back good-naturedly, and went off with Fandral and Volstagg, Loki running behind them to keep up. It had stung, then. And it stung now. Loki knew the Thor in front of him said these words in earnest, and somehow it was worse than a mindless jibe. 

It shouldn’t surprise Loki anymore. After all the years he had longed for his brother to acknowledge him, of course he couldn’t handle actual praise, even if it was about something mundane. Wouldn’t you know it. 

Loki smiled back, weakly, and nodded. “You’re welcome. Now move, you know Nebula won’t wait.”

Hesitating for a moment, Thor searched Loki’s face for something, before he slowly left the bathroom. Loki watched himself in the mirror for a moment, shrugged and nearly ran out. Time to blow away the cobwebs. 

Since the fateful day of his first, failed coronation, Thor was used to get his life turned upside down in mere hours. By now, he couldn’t even count the occasions anymore.

Loki’s return was the only time his life took a turn for the better. And after the first day of joy and relief, fear came creeping into his heart. Thor was no longer the brother Loki remembered, and he knew it. He just couldn’t do something about it. Everytime he let Loki out of his sight even for a second, he was afraid his brother had left or was captured or murdered. So he crowded him, and even when he felt Loki’s uneasiness, he couldn’t stop. The only reason he agreed on going with Drax, Nebula and Mantis was his fear for Loki to have enough of him and vanish for good. Thor couldn’t afford to lose him again. 

Yet he regretted his decision already as soon as he left the Benatar. _He will be safe_, he told himself. _Quill, Rocket and Groot are there with him._ Thor made Rocket promise he would keep an eye on Loki. But he knew - if his brother decided to run, Rocket wouldn't stand a chance to hinder him. 

The training yard was nearby. Nebula ignored Thor and Drax and started training with Mantis. It was a habit they developed during the last year. Nebula had a strong view on Mantis’s abilities - very valuable, but dangerously underused. 

While Thor watched, Drax went away and came back with a few training swords. They had only sparred once until then, and Stormbreaker cutting through the blade of Drax’s favourite sword was still a sore spot. 

Drax was a formidable warrior, seasoned and strong. But he was no real challenge for Thor. While he easily blocked every blow, he observed the women. Nebula’s endurance was remarkable. With unwavering patience she guided Mantis through all kinds of attacks and showed her how to defend herself, before she could disable her opponent with her empathic powers. 

It was hard for Thor to look at the grumpy but not unkind warrior and bring her together with the cold-blooded assassin who seemingly had tortured his brother.

They hadn’t talked about it. All Loki allowed them to speak about were long forgotten memories, coming alive in the dark of night. And he had developed quite an obsession with Thor’s hair and beard, always complaining about his appearance. 

Distracted by his thoughts, he misjudged a hit from Drax. His defence was too strong, and Drax’s training sword broke in pieces. 

Laughing, Drax called, “Nebula, Mantis! Will you join me in my quest to challenge the Pirate Angel once more?”

“I wish you would stop calling him that,” Nebula rolled her eyes. Nevertheless, she motioned for Mantis to join their team-mates. “It’s an opportunity to show me what you learned.”

Mantis obeyed eagerly, and by the time Drax came back with a new sword, she was ready. _Her fighting stance is something to behold_, Thor thought amused. She held her arms like a squirrel!

One nod from Nebula, and the Guardians attacked like a well-oiled machine. Drax came from the left, swinging his sword at Thor, who blocked it easily. Nebula used the gap in his defence and threw a dagger from the right, which Thor dodged with difficulties. He nearly didn’t manage to avoid Mantis, who tried to grip his shoulder, but centuries of training made him jump back. He drew his second sword and grinned. The duel started to become promising. 

They fought for some time. Thor was enthralled by how well they worked together. Nebula’s training clearly paid off. Of course, none of them used their full force, neither did Thor. Eventually, he was too slow, and Mantis’s hand closed around his wrist. He jolted up. 

Despair, fear and grief crashed over him in waves. Suddenly he saw his mother, dead on the floor. His father, carried away by a breeze. Loki. Falling into the void, impaled by the Kursed, getting his throat crushed by Thanos - 

“Stop!” Nebula’s voice cut through the ringing in Thor’s ears. The grip around his hand loosened, and he found himself lying on the ground, Mantis beside him, black eyes widened. 

Drax knelt next to Mantis, carefully helping her up. “You did good. You defeated him.” 

She snivelled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

Thor swallowed. “What did you do?”

“I inflicted the worst pain you ever felt onto you.”

Nebula narrowed her eyes. “A good strategy. But you can’t use it if you get overwhelmed yourself. We have to work on this.” 

“Count me out,” Thor groaned and struggled to his feet. 

“I am truly sorry, Thor.” Mantis grasped his shoulder. He shied away, but she was careful not to touch his skin. “Usually, this kind of pain lies buried inside one’s soul, and I have to dig deep to find it. But your pain dominates your emotions. I delved in too deep…”

She was shaken, and Thor couldn’t find it in his heart to be angry with her. “It’s alright.”

He sat down at the edge of the yard and waited for his friends to finish their training. After, Drax suggested a drink, and Thor had no idea if the warrior with the illustrious name “The Destroyer” was sensitive or struck lucky. Maybe he needed a drink himself after Mantis had knocked him down several times. Either way, Thor was happy to oblige. 

After only two drinks, Thor pressed his companions to return to the Benatar. The bar had been fun, but his urge to check on his brother grew from minute to minute. In the back of his head, Thor knew he was ridiculous. It didn’t stop him from entering the Benatar first, shouting, “Loki! Are you back?”

Rocket strolled in. “He’s in your room.”

Despite Thor’s relieved smile and thanks, the raccoon followed him when he aimed for their quarter. “Do you need something?” he asked impatiently. 

Rocket’s ears twitched. “Naah. Don’t want to miss the show.”

Thor stared at him in confusion, before he shrugged and proceeded. Sometimes, his new friends behaved very strangely. 

He pushed the door open without a warning and was about to step in, when he stopped abruptly. 

For a moment, Thor thought he was home. He saw marvelous tapestries on the walls, decorated with the mountains and gardens of his youth. Heavy marble slabs covered the floor. A wide desk stood on one wall, Asgardian tomes filled the bookshelves and two elegant chairs were draped next to a low table. A wide bed with scarlet sheets and a beautiful carved wardrobe filled the back of the chamber. Next to a hearth which certainly hadn’t been there before was a couch so similar to the one in Thor’s childhood room that he could only tell it wasn’t the same because it lacked the burn marks from Loki’s early magical experiments gone wrong.

Wasn’t it for the view out of the window, a few shabby spacecrafts with even more dubious aliens working on them, Thor could’ve sworn he was on Asgard. He was still gaping when Loki came out of the bathroom. All he could think of was asking, “How long was I gone?”

His brother smirked. “I work fast, sometimes.” He watched Thor’s expression cautiously. “What do you think?”

Thor opened his mouth and closed it again, complete at loss for words. He could feel the tears welling up behind his good eye.

“Oh no, brother, don’t start weeping again. I despised many things about Asgard, but never the style. If we are to live on a shitty little spaceship, we can at least-”

The rest of his sentence was drowned by Thor, who crushed him into a hug. “Thank you,” Thor sniffed. “It’s perfect.”

Loki patted him on the back. “You have to stop crying everytime _anything_ happens. Just think about Hogun. One can take a leaf out of his book, concerning this matter.”

Now Thor laughed through his tears. “You used to find his indifference unnerving. If I recall correctly, you spent nearly two years trying to rattle his stoicism.”

“I succeeded at last,” Loki said smugly and shoved Thor playfully away. 

“That was lame,” Rocket complained. “I expected you to get at least sparkled up.” 

“That’s not even a thing."

“Whatever you say.” Rocket went over to the hearth, poking it. “Does this thing work?”

Loki seemed offended. “Of course. Do you think I’m an amateur?”

“If you ever get bored, I have a few ideas for my room,” Rocket answered. 

“I am not an interior decorator.”

Rocket sighed. “You got a selfish brick of a brother, Thor.” He left quickly before Loki could cast a spell on him. 

Thor eyed the - at least from the inside - solid wooden door interestedly. On the second glance he discovered many more details. Like a set of daggers between the tapestries and crossed swords next to the door. “Is this an illusion, brother?”

“I say it again - do you think me an amateur? Of course I used some magic, but everything's solid and real.”

“Are these nordstjerners?” He crouched down by a pot with flowers and carefully touched one bright blue bloom. 

“Aye. Mother’s favourites.”

“She created them herself, didn’t she? How did you acquire the seed?” He looked around. “And the tomes, the swords? They are Asgardian.”

Although he didn’t expect an answer - after all, Loki loved his secrets - apparently his brother decided to humour him. “I had a long time to plan on Asgard, brother. I managed to stock certain things. Actually, I have much more than you see here. Our facilities are limited.”

“Why didn’t you tell me on the Statesman? We could have used some of the stuff.”

“You still have no idea how time travel works, do you? I would have changed your past and therefore created an alternate universe.” Loki rolled his eyes. 

Thor laughed awkwardly. “I think I understand the concept, but I don’t understand how you managed it. You must have spoke exact the same words and done exact the same deeds, how is this even possible? Even you can’t possibly remember every single action from one time seeing it.”

“Ah,” Loki said, delighted. “Now you ask the right questions. It would have been very complicated to do so. Therefore, I didn’t.”

He laughed about Thor’s confusion and went on, “After I prepared thoroughly, I cast a spell on myself. It erased your visit from my memory and so I was able to act the same. Because nothing changed for me.”

“But you remember _now_.” 

“I put a trigger on the spell. My memories came back when I said a sentence I was completely sure I wouldn’t use on any other occasion.”

Staring at his brother expectantly, Loki started to grin, and Thor was presented with sudden inspiration. He laughed. “‘We have a Hulk'?” 

“What a relief this big head of yours is not completely useless.” 

Thor shook his head, still amused. “You truly are a genius.” 

“Never stop telling me. I won’t tire of hearing it.”

“Should I forget, I have no doubt you remind me.” He went over to the couch and took a seat to oversee the chamber. “Brother… Am I correct when I say this room wasn’t always as big as it is now?”

Feigning innocence had never been Loki’s strong suit. “You just never saw it fairly tidied up.”

Cocking an eyebrow, Thor decided to let the matter rest. “As long as it doesn’t cause harm to the ship’s flying abilities.”

Loki only huffed and rolled his eyes before sitting down next to Thor. Together they enjoyed their gentrified accommodation in pleasant silence. After a few minutes, Thor suddenly realised something. He glanced sidewards at his brother’s peaceful face. “There’s still just one bed.”

“Congratulations, your eyes work.”

“I thought you maybe wanted to… gain a little distance.”

“Why bother? If I let you sleep alone, your nightmares would wake me anyway and I had to get up to treat them.”

He seemed irritated by Thor gaping at him. “Don’t tell me you didn’t realise you have nightmares.”

Of course Thor had noticed, they were his. The first night was spent in blissful exhaustion, but in the following Thor had woken several times after similar images to those that Mantis had inflicted on him earlier haunted his rest. Only, when he opened his eyes, Loki was there, sleeping peacefully right next to him. All he had to do was pressing a finger to Loki’s wrist, revelling in his brother’s steady heartbeat. Usually, it was enough for him to get back to sleep. 

“I didn’t know I woke you up. You were always sleeping when I startled. They get better, though.”

He received a look he was well acquainted with, growing up with Loki. The ‘I can’t believe you lived so long while being so stupid’ kind. “That’s because I wake the second you start struggling. I always soothe your dreams, so you can shake them off easier. Most times you just sleep on.”

Ashamed, Thor put his head in his hands. “Why didn’t you tell me? I had no idea I disturbed your rest.”

Loki shrugged it off. “Nightmares are nothing I’m unaccustomed to. Yours are lighter to deal with than my own.”

Thor lifted his head and put one hand on Loki’s shoulder. “You can talk to me, you know.”

His brother squirmed uneasily under his touch. “Like you talk to me?”

Snorting, Thor answered, “You can’t wipe the slate clean. Do you propose to erase the memory of our parents and you dying from my head?”

“Do you propose to erase the memory of this blue bitch torturing me from my head?”

Defeated, he gave in. “No. Did anyone ever tell you it’s impossible to win an argument with you?”

“That’s because I’m always right.”

“Sure,” Thor rolled his eyes. After a moment, he continued carefully, “You spoke about facing your demons when we agreed to stay with the Guardians. Maybe it would help to talk about it?”

Leaning back, Loki seemed to evaluate. Thor allowed himself to hope for a moment, but it died with his brother’s eventual response. “I spoke rashly, then. I’m more for ignoring and waiting it out. Maybe I'm lucky and she dies soon.”

“Don’t say such things. What she did to you may be unforgivable, but she’s an ally.” 

“Be assured, I don’t plan on murdering her. I wouldn’t mourn her, either.”

Thor knew when to admit surrender in a battle. That didn’t mean he would abandon the war, though. But for the moment, he allowed the topic to rest. 

“Show me what more you brought from home.” Loki happily obliged. 

That night, when Thor dreamed of his mother staring unseeing at the ceiling and jumped to wakefulness with a little gasp, Loki’s hand lay near his head. He watched Thor, not pretending to be asleep for a change. The last tendrils of green mists vanished between his fingers, and he cocked an eyebrow. 

Thor just smiled, sad but thankful beyond measure all the same. He took his brother’s hand, forefinger pressed against his comforting pulse and closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I just love ending chapters with sleeping. A habit I'm sure I won't ever overcome xD


	2. A Rabbit And A Rabbit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the interest in this story, here comes chapter 2!

As he went to the bridge, Loki smiled absentmindedly. Transforming their chamber to a living memory of all they had lost had been a gamble and could have thrown his brother into depression. However, it paid off. Thor was back in their room, for once not busy with his mindless game-thing (“It’s a Xbox, Loki, don’t pretend to forget it every time!”), but reading a volume of tales from Vanaheim. Thor, his brother, golden warrior and too impatient to do anything which required sitting down, was reading. Wonders never cease!

Of course it wasn’t demanding literature, rather stories their mother told them when they were children, but it was a start. If Thor didn’t watch out, Loki would turn him to a bookworm over time. Centuries ago, still not much more than a boy then, Thor had demanded Frigga chose heroic ballads instead of the childish tales, but Loki possessed first-hand knowledge about their soothing appeal in adulthood. In the long years he had waited for reuniting with his brother, he had spent not just one night with the thin book. It had delighted him, then. For sure it would have a similar effect on Thor. 

Entering the bridge, Loki realised he wasn’t alone. Carefully he freed his face of all emotions. Just because Thor considered the Guardians friends, he didn’t have to do the same. Quill was there, in front of the big screen. He didn’t look up, but Loki felt triumphant today and figured it couldn’t harm him to play nice. 

“Good morning,” he wished. 

Quill gave him a fleeting glimpse. “Mornin’.”

His attention went back to the screen. Loki observed what he was doing, although he had a pretty good idea. He wasn’t mistaken. The earthling searched for his lost partner. Again. Loki neither oversaw the dark circles under his eyes, nor his hopeless aura. 

Loki swallowed the uneasiness he felt by looking at Gamora’s picture. When he was in Thanos’s captivity, he had not only met Nebula. Her sister had been even more versed in inflicting pain and terror. 

“Grant me a question. The purpose of this ship is making the galaxy a safer place, isn’t it? Still, all you did since I had the pleasure of meeting you was dawdling away and running this inconclusive search.”

“Are you trying to rile me up? It works, you know,” Quill shot back, short-tempered as someone could be. 

“I had no intention to. I merely wish to gain knowledge about this strange association it seems I happen to be a part of.”

Finally, Quill dismissed the screen to glare at him. “We’re not an association. We’re a family. And you are certainly no part of it. We only allow you to be here because it makes Thor happy, for whatever reason. We owe him as much. And one member of my family is missing, so I’m searching. Does this satisfy you?”

“Satisfaction is nothing I’m familiar with,” Loki gave back, pleased he hadn’t lost his ability to anger people with his simple presence. Spending his days with a brother who seemingly adored him even if he was yelling was a little unnerving, from time to time. “There is no hit, though. She doesn’t want to be found. Wouldn’t it be better to give her time? Maybe she’s not so eager to return. I wonder why, for your company is such a pleasure.”

“Because I - we love her!” Quill shouted. “She needs us, and I wouldn’t ever give up on her. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do. Probably you have no one you care about that way!”

Genuinely amused, Loki laughed. “I ran a scheme which included an open confrontation with Thanos, who promised me pain that made me long for death on our next meeting, only to be with someone as annoying as Thor. Indeed, I cannot possibly care about anyone.”

Defensively, Quill said, “You saved yourself from death in doing so.”

“I’m not so sure it was worth it, if I rejected my place in Valhalla in favour of a shitty spaceship occupied by mindless idiots,” Loki murmured. Before Quill could flare up, he shoved him unceremoniously to the side. “Let me try something. Just running her image won’t get you further.”

Taken by surprise, Quill snorted. “How would you do that? You don’t know her.”

“Oh, I knew a few things,” Loki replied unimpressed. “For example she likes eating her supper in front of a starved prisoner while breaking his bones. Often she left something in my hand, but I couldn’t move my arm to put it into my mouth. A darling, your lady.”

Quill swallowed evidently, but didn’t retreat. Almost admirable, Loki thought while typing. “Then why would you help me to find her?” 

“How would I take revenge if she isn’t present?” Loki ignored Quill’s worried expression and proceeded. Let him imagine the acts of vengeance he could do to his beloved. 

Thor was mesmerised. This morning, when he had woken to all too familiar surroundings and panicked for a moment, Loki quietly had taken a small book from the shelf and handed it to him. He had snorted, at first, until he identified it. Now he was so rapt in the all but forgotten stories of his childhood, he only noticed Rocket standing beside him when the raccoon cleared his throat. 

He smiled. “Greetings, my friend. What brings you to my chamber?” 

“Curiosity. Your brother told me you were reading, and I had to see it with my own eyes.”

Chuckling, Thor showed him the cover. “They are stories from my mother’s realm. She told them to us, a millennium ago.” 

“Uh-huh. Cute.” Rocket clearly had no idea what to respond. 

Remembering what he knew about Rocket’s origin, Thor asked softly, “Did you have a mother, rabbit?”

Too uncomfortable to rebuke Thor for using the detested nickname, Rocket shook his head. “Naah. Never needed one.”

His eyes were too challenging and his shoulders too stiff for Thor to believe him. He didn’t press, though. There was nothing to gain.

“Where is Loki? He wandered off some time ago. I’m still uncertain with him and Nebula lingering in the same room.” 

“Don’t worry, he isn’t disturbing Nebula. The last time I saw him he was infuriating Quill.”

Abruptly, Thor snapped the book shut. “Don’t worry? Quill doesn’t even like _me_!” 

“I hate to be the one telling you, but Quill doesn’t like many people.”

Thor waved him off. “Don’t get started. I better ensure this doesn’t turn hostile.”

“Why not?” Rocket wanted to know. “Better than tediousness. We didn’t do _anything_ for over a year.”

“You think my brother maiming or killing Quill is an adequate pastime?”

Rocket smirked. “I bet on Quill. The guy isn’t easily defeated.”

Now Thor _really_ started worrying. “You never saw my brother fighting.” He placed the book carefully on the table and left, Rocket dogging him. Before they even were nearing the bridge, Thor could hear Quill's shouting and Loki’s snarky comments. Just as they rounded the last corner, the voices fell silent.

“Wow. Maybe they killed each other,” Rocket stated in a horrible joke. Thor paled and hurried.

No battlefield awaited them. Loki stood in front of the control centre, working in peace. Quill was nowhere to be seen.

“Brother,” Loki greeted warmly when he caught sight of Thor. “Did you enjoy the story about Njörðr?”

Rocket eyed him warily. “Where’s Quill?” he demanded to know.

Thor anticipated the worst and soon was proven right, when a rabbit scampered into the room. “Brother, release him. Immediately.”

Gaping in awe, Rocket crouched down in front of the small animal when it started scratching on his boots. “You can’t be serious. _That’s_ Quill?” 

The rabbit started thumping the ground angrily. Thor groaned. “Loki!”

“What’s your problem, Thor? Don’t you take relish in the silence?” Loki laughed, and the rabbit bit his calf. He only laughed harder. 

“Loki, enough. This isn’t a worthy treatment of someone we owe a great debt.”

“Look who sounds like a king again. You gave up the throne, dear brother, may I remind you?” 

Before the brothers could start fighting, Rocket interfered. “Wait, wait. Not yet.”

He reached past Loki, who again attended to his search parameters, and activated the intercom. “Guys, bridge, now! You too, Groot. I promise, you will like this!”

The rabbit started running off, but Rocket seized it by the neck. All clawing and biting was of no use against his furry arms. “Who’s the rodent now?” Rocket said delighted. 

Slowly the other Guardians appeared. After Nebula arrived last and frowned at Rocket, he smiled wider.

“Oh, a rabbit!” Mantis was ecstatic. “Where did you get it? Can I pet it?”

“Sure,” Rocket grinned. Thor had to turn away. Though he was horrified by Loki’s behaviour, the sight of Mantis ruffling the struggling Quill’s fur was hilarious. Suddenly, he realised he hadn’t to be ashamed of Loki’s actions. As an older brother he felt responsible, but he no longer was Loki’s king and Loki no longer was subjected to him. The realisation left him lightheaded. In their youth, he had often taken part in Loki’s mischief, always with a bad conscience. As future king he wasn’t meant to disturb the palace. Now… he was allowed to do what he wanted. Not that he hadn’t, in the past, still… 

He reached out and tickled one of Quill’s long ears. For a moment, he locked eyes with Loki, and his brother grinned. 

Nebula was eying the unknown animal interestedly, only Drax and Groot stood back, the latter busy with his game. 

“Is this supper?” Drax asked, confused why he was summoned. “We had similar animals, only with wings. Ovette cooked them deliciously.” 

Rocket snickered. “Sure she did. Still a bad idea. Can’t you feel it, Mantis?”

Pausing, Mantis looked up. “What do you mean? It’s furious, but my powers don’t work as well with animals.” 

As often, Nebula was the only one to see what the ignorant Guardians didn’t. She stepped next to Loki and narrowed her eyes. “I don’t say he’s not getting on my nerves, but if you should try something like this with me, I will snap your neck without mercy.”

Loki rolled his eyes and continued typing. The others were still clueless. Rocket gave a hint. “Does nobody realise we’re missing someone?”

Only then Mantis gasped. “This is… this is... “ She fell to the ground, convulsing with laughter. Groot lifted his head. “I am Groot.”

“Yes, Groot! Don’t you want to pet him? Chance of a lifetime!” 

The teenage tree vanished his game by growing it into his side and stumbled forward. Even Drax now decided to observe the rabbit closely. 

They went on for several minutes, the rabbit trembling in anger. Finally, Mantis said gently, “Maybe you should turn him back. I can sense his emotions clearer now. I’m afraid he’s going to strangle you when you keep it up much longer.”

Waving her off, Loki hummed. “I’m finished anyway.” Rocket just managed to put the rabbit to the ground, when Quill appeared in its stead. One second he cowered there, blinking, before he roared and charged at Loki. Thor began to move when Quill pulled a blaster. He didn't need to worry, though.

Loki deflected the blast and stopped Quill by pointing at the screen. “A list of places I recommend to visit, with descending probability. After all you shan’t waste your valuable time.” Thor wasn’t sure if the others got the sarcasm. 

Quill stopped, irritated. “A list? Of places Gamora might be?”

Nebula’s head jerked up. “What?”

The other Guardians stared at them, uncomfortably. Thor slowly drew nearer, determined to inconspicuously get between his brother and the latest victim of his pranks. One could never know. 

“I did your search for you. Don’t go head over heels with your gratitude.”

Nebula stepped forward and demanded, “Why should you be able to find her, when we weren’t?”

Sighing like he had to explain the workings of a simple combination to a retarded fool (Why did Thor have the feeling he had seen this look on Loki’s face quite often during their studies?), Loki said, “Because I know her better than you.”

Ignoring the angry screams of refusal emerging around him, he continued casually, “You forget the Gamora you’re searching for isn’t the one you lost. Nebula is the only one who even got to know her, and her memories are clouded by the experiences of the following decade. I don’t judge,” his tone was indicating he judged by all means, “but it’s the truth. Do with the list whatever you wish. I have flowers to take care of.”

He left the room without acknowledging any of the questions thrown at him. Thor stayed, unsure if to follow Loki or satisfy his curiosity.

Quill inspected what Loki had told the computer to search for. He grabbed Nebula’s arm, disregarded her snarl and asked, “What do you think?”

Something similar to actual emotion crossed Nebula’s mechanical features, before she gave in and observed the parameters. Her eyes widened hardly noticeable. “He made a cross-reference between the places we know she visited on missions for Thanos and their attributes of hiding possibilities, considering our regular whereabouts.”

It seemed very difficult for her to speak on. “He might be on to something.”

When Thor opened the door, he had expected to find his brother gloating over outwitting Quill. What he wasn’t prepared for was the sight of his brother casting bright, yet somewhat comforting yellow light through the chamber. 

“What are you doing?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “What I said I was doing. Do you think Mother’s flowers would grow in a place with artificial light? You never paid attention when she spoke about them. The special lighting of Asgard was very essential for their blossoming, and - what’s that supposed to mean?” 

While Loki was talking, Thor had stepped closer and put his head on his brother’s shoulder. Wrapping his arms around Loki’s chest from behind, Thor declared, “It means I’m happy to have you back.”

Snorting and squirming out of the embrace, Loki turned his head to look at his brother. “Stop interfering. I don’t want them to burn. Read your book.”

“Soon,” Thor answered, eyeing the volume fondly. “I just wanted to know - why did you help Quill?”

“It’s exhausting to be around such an amount of stupidity. I am here for over a week and he didn’t make the slightest progress.”

Thor just raised an eyebrow at him.

“Fine. He thinks me only a useless adjunct of you. And I’d rather be unpredictable.”

“Do you think we find her?”

“I don’t care if _they_ find her. I’d prefer not, but I created the list to the best of my knowledge, I assure you.”

Satisfied for the moment, Thor grabbed the book and went over to the couch. Before he could pick up where he left the story, a thought crossed his mind. “You mentioned you knew her. Did she-” He couldn’t bring himself to speak on.

“Say it. Did she torture me? Yes, indeed. Obviously.”

He lay the book aside. Uneasiness took hold of him. “Do you intend to take vengeance?”

Loki’s shoulders tensed and the light faded from his hands. The darkness of open space surrounded them. “We see.”

“Brother,” Thor groaned. “You’re doing it again. Stop excluding me from your thoughts. When you do it, things always start to go to Hel.”

Now Loki whipped around. “It seems we’re already there. I refuse to tell you something which doesn’t concern you even in the slightest, and you immediately conclude I’m about to turn against you.”

“I didn’t say-”

“Of course you did!”

“No!” Thor shouted furiously. “Only because you always think the worst of me, I don’t do the same!”

“So you don’t think I’m playing the Guardians to get to Gamora and kill her?”

By then, they both all but panted from screaming. They locked eyes, and Thor was the first to look away. 

“I see,” Loki said coolly. “You are truly the son of your father. A hypocrite if ever there was one.”

“Why did you come back if you can’t stand me?”

Silence. Thor teared his hair. 

“Would you prefer I had stayed dead? I can leave.”

Thor felt like weeping again. “How can you even say such a horrible thing.” 

“It’s easy. You start with the first word, then you add the second, and so on.”

“All I ask of you,” Thor said, carefully to not rile up his brother further, “is for you to share. I look at you, and know you, and at the same time I don’t. I could never guess what you are truly thinking, what your goals are. I don’t want to know because I expect you to turn on me, even when you did so in the past, repeatedly. I want to understand you. I want to help you by achieving what you wish. Is this too much to request?”

Loki bit his lip, as if preventing himself from saying something. Thor feared he would run away, but he slowly stepped closer and sat down next to him.

“It shouldn’t.” The hope Thor was starting to feel was all but suffocated by his next words. “I’m not sure I can comply. You’re not the only one who’s entering uncharted territory. My whole life was bound to Asgard and the throne, even if I was never intended to ascend it. And you gave it all away. Brother, I don’t know where our paths lead. And sometimes, I don’t even recognise you. Do you realise how much you have changed?”

Of course Thor did. And it never occurred to him he had robbed Loki of the throne. “I don’t- we could go back to New Asgard, it might take some persuasion, but I’m sure the Valkyrie will give up the throne, after all you’re second in line, and just because I don’t want to have it - you were assumed dead at the time, so you still are the legitimate king-”

Loki interrupted him by putting a cold hand over Thor’s mouth. “Stop talking. Please.”

As Thor nodded, he removed his hand. “I don’t wish to be king. But I don’t know what else to do with my life. I wouldn’t _completely_ object your company, though.”

“Neither would I,” Thor replied, smiling widely. “Only I have to tell you, I as well have no idea about what to do in the future. I never had to think about it. It’s just… we have time, brother. We don’t have to plan the next millennia now.”

“I won’t ever understand how someone can live without a plan.”

“I suppose we suck at being ordinary civilians.”

Snickering, Loki nodded. “Who’d thought it’d be this hard.”

“We will learn,” Thor assured him quietly. “As we will learn to work together. You got what you wanted, now we're truly equals.”

Averting his eyes, Loki swallowed. “I don't really think the worst of you. Only rarely.”

“I know. Neither I of you. Even if I probably should,” Thor teased back lightly, and his brother didn’t flinch.

They smiled at each other, faintly, but the anger had subsided. Loki reached for the book next to him. He carefully opened it, studying the page Thor had marked. With one hand, he started casting light again, illuminating the dark room. Then he began reading.

Thor leaned back comfortably. Loki’s voice was nothing like Frigga’s, but he loved listening to him anyway. Even then, centuries later and further away from Asgard than ever, he felt the contentment and happiness of his childhood. Carefully, he lay his head on Loki’s shoulder. His brother snorted amused, but kept reading, nevertheless.

In the evening, Thor just came out of the bathroom after showering (he had sparred, but not with Mantis) when someone knocked. A look at his brother, slouched on the couch, busy with a gigantic old tome, told him Loki had no intention to open the locked door. Thor, only a towel around the waist, sighed and let the visitor in. 

“I just wanted to inform you guys - whoa, your abs are still not so amazing, huh?” Quill began, smirking at Thor. 

“You came to tell me?” Thor asked, raising an eyebrow while he dried his hair. 

“No, actually - hold on. What did you do to my ship?”

Great. So Loki hadn’t spoken to Quill about the redecoration. Why did Thor assume?

He gazed accusingly at his brother, who was hidden behind the book cover. Still he was able to hear the grin in Loki’s words. “I believe I told you I would furnish it, didn’t I?” 

“But - but - is this room bigger?” 

“You have a great imagination.”

Quill didn’t move, opening and closing his mouth without uttering a sentence. Finally, he said, “If the ship is too heavy to start-”

“It isn’t.”

“You know that because you’re the super genius engineer guy?” 

“Engineering science is a pre-school subject on Asgard.”

Gaping at Thor, who shrugged and smiled, Quill lay a hand on his brow. “If I find out you harmed my ship, I’ll have your head.” 

The only answer was indistinct snickering, which Quill ignored. “Actually, we're heading out tonight. So if you have any unfinished business here, now or never.”

A hand appeared behind the tome, waving in a dismissive gesticulation. Thor didn’t want to be rude, so he asked, “Where are we going?” 

Stiffening, Quill answered uncomfortably, “It’s called P-314. You probably never heard about it.”

Only then Loki’s face emerged, a smug expression written all over it. “So you decided to follow my advice. I’m impressed. I never took you for someone who’s able to listen to wiser men.”

With an audible teeth grinding, Quill spat, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, your list suggested Florgtes, which is absolutely ridiculous. We have business on P-314.”

He went for the door. Just as Thor wanted to close it behind him, Quill shouted, “Is this a _hearth_?” Thor hurried to shut him out.

“Was this P-something on your list?” he asked.

“Number five. He is too stubborn to check on a place with a higher probability first, the moron. You know, he reminds me of you in your more dense times.”

Thor flinched. That stang, because Thor thought so himself, sometimes. “I hope I gained enough wisdom to not object someone’s suggestions only to spite him.”

“As if this puny mortal could spite me,” Loki voiced, concentration back on the book. Thor reached out and snapped it out of his grip.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Loki asked bewildered.

His brother sat down in front of him, pointed at his wild beard and grinned. 

Sighing, Loki braided.


	3. Tidings Out Of The Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware of the plot! (There's actually a little in there.)

The visit on P-314 went off very uneventfully, if to Loki’s delight or anger he could not say. Subsequently, they visited more places of Loki’s list, with halts in between. At first Loki had been amused, but after a few weeks he was nearly freaking out. Thor didn’t quite share his rage.

“What number?” Thor asked, without looking up from his book, only slowly reacting to Loki’s rambling about the Guardians’ latest useless excursion.

“Seven,” Loki spat. 

“That’s progress, isn’t it? Last week it was number seventeen on your list?”

“And then he visited an asteroid belt and a gas planet! He’s using the list, I know he’s using the list, even he knows I know he’s using the list, and his crew is laughing their asses off!”

Thor only hmmm-ed. Loki eyed him exasperated. This development was so _not_ according to plan, he didn’t have words for it. At the beginning, Loki had been thrilled by Thor’s interest in the old Asgardian books. His brother didn’t discriminate, he read all Loki gave him, whether it were stories or receipts for crumble cake. One time, when Loki had felt especially wicked, he gave him an 800-page manual of how to care for all different kinds of bushes. It took some time, but after Thor had finished, he only said he wanted to have a garden one day and accepted the next book of Loki’s stock. 

Six weeks later, all his brother did was reading, and all he was willing to talk about was the Asgard of old which came alive again in his head. Loki slowly grew worried. Until then, he had managed to swallow his concerns, but all good things must come to an end. “Thor?”

“Hmmm?”

Again. Loki fought down the urge to burn his whole library on the spot. “Would you listen for a moment? Without your book, please?”

Did he sound like Mother? He felt like Thor’s mother, for sure. An exceeding sigh was his answer, followed by, “What do you want to discuss?”

At least the book was closed. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate you reading. But aren’t you interested in other things? You don’t seem to care if they find Gamora or not.” _That’s not like you_, he added only inwardly. Thor wasn’t very fond of Loki telling him how he was supposed to behave. 

“I care. Though, they will or won’t find her with or without my help.”

“She doesn’t know you. If she’s determined to stay hidden, that could be an advantage.”

“Only until I drag her to the Benatar. What is the point of this conversation? I want to read more about Bor’s conquests.”

“The books don’t run away, you can read when I’m not-”

He stopped, dumbfounded. Thor stared at him with an open mouth. “When you’re not bored?”

“Aye,” Loki agreed tonelessly. They had had this exact talk quite a few times, on Asgard, in their long gone youth. Only the roles had been reversed.

Thor started laughing so hard the book slid from his lap. “You use my own arguments against me!”

“This realisation is hard to bear,” Loki answered. “I can’t believe it. They say, if you live long enough, you see everything, and then history repeats itself. I never thought it happened so _literally_!”

Shaking his head, Thor leaned forward to collect the book from the floor. He lay it carefully aside and straightened to look at his brother. “Do you feel neglected? I always felt neglected, when I said these words.” 

“A little,” Loki admitted. “All these years I tried to introduce you to the beauty of knowledge, and now you appreciate it I’m bored because you don’t plan silly adventures with me instead. That’s ridiculous!”

“It is,” Thor agreed.

“You spend six weeks reading,” Loki argued weakly.

“You have obviously lost all your memories of the past. Your longest reading period lasted almost a decade,” Thor accused him, a smile spreading over his face. “Revenge is sweet.”

Loki glared at him. “You’re exaggerating.”

“It seems you spent too much time with mortals, dear brother,” Thor teased. “You grew impatient.”

“We are surrounded by mortals, Thor. Adapting might not be the worst course of action.”

“You’re right.” He paused a moment, before he said, “Strange, isn’t it? That the last years inflicted such different changes on our personalities.”

“Not at all,” Loki gave back, smirking. “I tend to adjust, you on the other hand always do the counter-intuitive. Rush, when we have all time we could wish for, and linger, when the world around us is ever changing.”

Thor groaned. “You always criticising whatever I do will never change. You’re truly never satisfied.”

“Told you so.”

“And I told you I would never surrender. So, I will fight my wish to stay here on our next stop. Deal?”

“I could be persuaded to accept the offer.”

Two days later, they finally visited Florgtes, the number one on Loki’s list. Loki grinned smugly at Quill when he told them, but kept silent. This time, when the Guardians left the ship in search of Gamora (sorry - in fact the were looking for a smith who could repair Drax’s sword, really), the brothers went on their own. Loki had found an illegal gambling hall where the bad guys met and instructed Thor how to cheat successfully as a team. They had to pretend to not know each other, so Loki had lifted his glamour and went as a Jotunn to perfect the con. 

Thor didn’t comment, but he stared when he thought his brother wouldn’t notice. He was used to Loki not looking like himself, wearing the faces of other men (or women, or beasts), but imagining this was his true skin - felt weird. 

He had no time to muse about his brother, though. The game became hot quickly, and the moment came when he had to stage a fight against his brother. Loki had insisted it was absolutely necessary for Thor to lose, even if he didn’t elaborate _why_. So Thor took a knife to the throat (he felt like this was a test how much he trusted his brother) and fell to the floor, Loki’s illusions leaving him for dead. Hell broke loose, the other gamblers fled the room, not even bothering to take their credits with them. 

Loki laughed and started to gather the money while he lifted the illusion from his brother. “I’d call this a complete success.”

Grinning, Thor flicked a necklace with many precious gems at him. “I’d agree.”

They had to hurry to dodge the incoming security, but the robots didn’t even come close to catching them.”It seems they aren’t too fond of murder in this part of the galaxy, are they?” Thor asked when they waited for the alley to clear.

“No, they're great at slavery, not so much at assassinations. That’s why I included it on the list, actually. The possibility of Gamora being here is next to zero.”

“What? I thought you said the list was genuine?”

“Don’t look at me like this! It is, well… except for the first place.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Thor shook his head. Even when he was helpful, his brother just had to cause trouble. He observed Loki turning back to his Aesir form and frowned. He only once before saw Loki as a Jotunn, the day of the time travel. 

“I’ve been called worse.” Loki motioned for them to move, and they strolled back to the Benatar in peace.

“I wondered,” Thor began after a few minutes. “Did you come to terms with your heritage? As I understand it, you spent a long time in your true skin, though I never saw you wear it on the ship.”

His brother gazed at him from the side. “It was more convenient. All people who had seen me as a Jotunn are long gone. And today - it’s a disguise as well as any other.”

It wasn’t an answer, but Thor knew Loki well enough to read between the lines. His brother had never showed him 'the monster' before, and doing it when they met again after a long time had been a test of Thor’s acceptance. It seemed he had passed. “Do you want to call the others? Their quest if for naught, after all.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it!”, Loki exclaimed dramatically. “How could we deny Drax a mended sword! You’re selfish, Thor. Where did you learn?”

Thor nudged him with the elbow. “Be quiet. Shall we take a drink, then? I let you invite me.”

After Thor had picked a bar Loki changed back to his Jotunn self. The robbery had been so easy, he had to bait the robots for a little more thrill. Thor gave him a fleeting glimpse but didn’t ask. Either he understood, or truly didn’t care how his brother appeared. Loki determined each option was good with him. 

They drank the weak mixture the locals declared as mead, and soon Thor found himself a few warriors who admired Stormbreaker. His axe was a favourite topic of speaking, so Loki merely smirked and left him to tell the story how the weapon was forged (which had been risky in the first place, and became more and more dangerous every time Thor indulged in it). 

He strode around the place, listening to the conversations floating through the large room. The low acceptance of murder hadn’t been the only reason he chose to take Florgtes as his fake destination. The place was a junction of trade in this part of the galaxy, and ideal to learn gossip from all over the universe. 

However, the talks he eavesdropped weren’t enlightening. Only complaints about harsh wives, unruly children and unfair bosses reached his ears. How ordinary. 

But just as Loki decided to head back to his brother, he heard a word which caught his interest - ‘Allfather’. Curious what a bunch of strangers had to say about his late father, he drew nearer. His aim was a group of what could only be Light Elves from Alfheim. Despite his effort to keep hidden, they spotted him after two steps.

“A Jotunn,” one said, wonder in voice. 

Loki cursed inwardly. He had forgotten about his appearance. Unsure if the strangers would attack him (he had never cared much about Alfheim’s conception of Jotunheim, a mistake he now regretted), Loki paused. He didn't expect their eager smiles.

“Please, come closer, stranger,” one of the elves invited. “We’d like to ask you a few questions. One never stumbles over Jotnar in this part of the galaxy.”

Probably he was able to take them down, should a fight emerge. Surely with Thor only a few steps away. So Loki accepted the chair they pulled for him. 

“Greetings, stranger,” he said. “What is it you want to know?”

“How does your realm fare?” Yes, he remembered Light Elves didn’t linger on small talk. 

“I’m afraid I can’t help you on that matter,” he answered carefully. “I wasn’t on Jotunheim for a long time.” Not even a lie.

“My friends and I spoke about what role the Allfather has now that Asgard is gone,” the one who spotted him first explained. 

“To my best knowledge, the Allfather has passed.” Loki’s mind drifted back to the day on the cliff in Norway. It wasn’t a memory he liked to revisit. Too many contrary emotions in his heart made it hard to keep a clear head.

“Odin has,” his host, most likely the leader of the group, gave back. “Not his son.”

The statement struck Loki unprepared. He knew Thor had given up the throne, but he never thought about the mantle of the Allfather. As son of Odin, the role came to his brother naturally, and it was nothing he could pass on to the Valkyrie on an impulse. 

“I don’t know of his fate,” Loki claimed. Better not bring the presence of the person they spoke about in the same room with them to their attention. Not before he managed to gain more information.

“Pity,” another Light Elf said. “He’s rumored to be alive.”

“If he is, what’s your business with him?” Loki wondered. Hopefully, the straightforward beings wouldn’t mind a direct approach.

The Light Elves shared a gaze of caution. They seemed to communicate in silence and came to an agreement rather soon. 

“Alfheim has thrived without Asgard’s intermeddling. We wish to remain in that state. With Asgard gone, the new Allfather will sooner or later come to us and lay claim to the realm again, as his predecessor did after the first destruction of the Bifrost. We intend to ensure he won’t be able to do so.”

“You plan on finding him and doing what? Negotiating, or a more… lasting arrangement?”

“The latter,” the leader smiled. “We are only a few of many scouts our queen sent to search for him and reach out to other allies. Vanaheim seems neutral, but we presume they can be swayed. Midgard is totally devoted to him. The Jotnar have an interest in getting rid of him, don’t they? He nearly destroyed your realm. Due to his actions it was not possible for us to reach your people and make a proper offer.”

They stared at Loki, greed in their gazes. He swallowed and tried hard to not let any emotions shine in his features. What wasn’t easy, considering they spoke about a conspiracy to murder his brother. He had to keep up appearances.

“Actually, it was the other bastard who nearly annihilated Jotunheim. But we don’t differentiate which offspring of Odin we wipe from the universe,” he corrected with ease.

The youngest Light Elf laughed. “Aye, the trickster. You won’t be able to take revenge on him, though. He died years ago. So you will have to stick with his brother.”

These news were reassuring to Loki. He had wanted to know if his scheme deceived the Nine Realms, now he had an answer. “As you can imagine, I’m not indifferent to your proposal. Maybe we could discuss it in a more private setting.” He gestured vaguely behind him, to the mixture of aliens from all the known and unknown parts of the galaxy.

His response satisfied the elves greatly. They stood and showed him the way upstairs, where they had their rooms. They all gathered in the most spacious and waited for him to speak.

“So,” Loki said, waving a muting spell unbeknownst to them. Nobody outside of the room could hear them. “Is there a plan already?”

The leader explained, “We left Alfheim a few months ago. There wasn’t much progress when we last managed to exchange intel. The foremost action is to find out the Allfather’s whereabouts and gather allies, as we told you. When we have a location, we will move our combined strength against him. He is deemed powerful beyond imagination, but he can be killed, if we strike fast and without mercy.”

Loki nodded. They weren’t completely wrong. Though Thor had withstood far greater threats in the recent past, he wasn’t invincible. Not even at the height of his power and he certainly wasn’t there. Carefully Loki unleashed his magic. The time he needed to attack drew closer, but he had to investigate further. “You spoke of rumours. Of what nature?”

A Light Elf with distinguished grey hair speaking of his age and wisdom waved dismissingly. “They are many, and all are unreliable. Some told stories about him being on Midgard, amongst what’s left of Asgard. They weren’t confirmed. The Asgardians are led by a Valkyrie. Other implied his involvement in the great fight against the Mad Titan which brought back the lost.”

The Light Elves declined their heads and remained silent for a few seconds. The act seemed to honour the dead, even after they had returned. A strange sentiment from Loki’s perspective. He allowed himself a bitter smirk. “Wouldn’t that be a reason to thank him?”

They laughed, the grave atmosphere vanished. “Maybe, if it was true. Our scouts couldn’t find a trace of him on Midgard after the battle, and he had to be there, if he was involved.”

_Norns_, Loki thought. For once, the selfish, responsibility fleeing attitude of his brother seemed to have saved his life. He was horrified by the possibility of Thor taking his rightful place as king, only to be slain after all he had sacrificed for the good of the universe alone. 

“So you think he travels the galaxy on his own?” he asked, sounding unconvinced. 

“A few months back, another scouting unit met a few gladiators from a place called Sakaar. They told a fable about a warrior with lightning at his disposal. The description fits well enough. The threat emanating from him is too direly for us to ignore, even if he waits a century with his attack. The house of Odin was never known to let go of what they deem their belonging.”

Loki had to hide his smirk behind a hand. They were right. What they didn’t know was he was of the house of Odin, and Thor was his. They dug their own graves with their utterances. “Indeed,” he replied, allowing them to see his face.

Obviously, they interpreted his deadly expression wrong. The leader smiled widely, sure they found a related soul. “What are your thoughts on the matter, dear stranger?”

“I have a few,” Loki gave back, gathering more magic. They didn’t notice in their state of happiness. Probably they imagined the honours they would receive because they acquired the assistance of mighty enemies of the Asgardians. 

“First, I’d like to thank you for the insight. News from the Nine Realms are few in these parts of the galaxy, and you never know if you run into enemy or friend.” He paused, giving them a moment to muse on his words. He was all but disappointed for their looks staying amicable, not changing to distrust. A power of his heritage he never before experienced as beneficial.

“I wished you weren’t so bigoted, though. For I have to tell you I know where your target is located at the moment. I don’t tend to lose track of him. Even considering the way he changed since you last heard of him, you ought to recognise your liege. He is down there, in the area we left minutes ago.”

Only then they reacted. Disbelief and fury gleamed in their eyes. 

“You waste time with presumptions, when our mutual enemy is near? Do you think your own revenge is more important than a proper battle plan?” the leader accused Loki, jumping to his feet.

“More times than not, I assure you. Not this time. For not only one son of Odin is here tonight.” And finally, he welcomed his Aesir glamour back, a skin making him feel more like himself than ever before. “And I’m not fond of your intrigues against my brother.” 

Their surprise cost them the chance for a fair battle. He had killed four of the five elves before they even drew their weapons. Only the leader managed to withstand the initial attack.

“You treacherous snake,” he spat, shaking hands clutching the sword hilt. “We invited you to our table, and you have the impudence of slaying my brothers in arms!”

Loki laughed, truly amused. “You call me a traitor, after discussing a confederacy against a man who always acted in kindness towards your people? Who defended you against your enemies, feasted in your halls? A man you swore to follow? Who helped to bring back the lost half of Alfheim?”

“A dangerous warmonger, whose family suppressed my people for centuries,” the elf argued.

Snorting, Loki shook his head. “Obviously you never met my brother. I can tell you, if he was here in my stead, listening to your scheming, he would have taken pity on you. He would have spared your pathetic lives. Probably he would have travelled to Alfheim instantly, stepping into the lion’s den, to assure your queen of his unwavering support of her claim on the reign of Alfheim and against any enemy you might face. His empathy is his greatest weakness.” He knew he was rambling, but his frightened opponent only stared at him warily. 

“Do you know what he did after he failed to prevent the culling? He locked himself inside a shack, trying to drink himself to death because of his guilt for letting the universe down.” Loki stepped forwards, conjuring a dagger in each hand. The elf lifted his sword weakly, knowing his end was inevitable. “He’s trying to let the past behind him, now. He gave the throne to someone he thought more suited of leading Asgard to growth. Not even in his wildest dreams he would take actions against Alfheim, or any other realm. And you have nothing better to do than plotting to kill a man who would show you mercy. Unfortunately, I was never merciful.”

Having said what he wanted to, he leapt at the elf. His opponent dodged the first two strikes, performed in anger, and thrusted his sword against Loki’s side. He easily blocked the blow, caught the arm in one hand and brought his dagger up to the elf’s throat. Defeated, the elf let his sword fall. 

“Pathetic,” Loki snarled. “Die in the knowledge I will kill every single one of your race if I have to, if it’s the only way to keep my brother safe.”

Then he slit the elf’s throat. 

Thor smiled when Loki joined him at his table. “Brother! Meet my new friends!”

Rolling his eyes, Loki nodded to the strangers. “A pleasure.”

“Where were you?” Thor asked innocently. 

Loki didn’t have to think for even a second. He wouldn’t tell Thor of the scheme against him, knowing his brother too well. He would do exactly as Loki had predicted upstairs, running into Alfheim armed with nothing but a wide smile. “Over there.” He pointed in the opposite direction from the booth where his encounter with the elves had started. 

“Did you meet nice people?” 

Lying in a long known habit, Loki nodded. “Pleasant company. But I think we should return to your friends now, brother.”

Laughing, Thor stood and waved at his drinking companions. “You’re right. We wouldn’t want to miss Drax’s reforged sword!”

“No,” Loki agreed, his smile genuine. “We wouldn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this first squint of my take on the Nine Realms and their history. IMO, in the MCU there's admittedly much talk about them, but nothing really concrete... So I took my liberties, and I regret nothing!^^


	4. Meeting With A Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More plot! So unusual for me.

Quill slowly got desperate. He didn’t even pretend to not follow Loki’s list anymore. Loki was very smug about it, and Thor feared a violent confrontation to be due. 

“I won’t harm him,” Loki promised when he voiced his concern. “Not for real, that is.”

“How comforting,” Thor snapped and played a card. “You’re next, rabbit.”

Rocket growled. “Now that I know what a rabbit is, I really feel insulted.” He took a card from the deck.

“Why are we playing Midgardian games again?” Loki complained, sorting through his options before he decided for an ace.

“So you’re not getting overwhelmed,” Rocket teased. Loki just laughed. He let the raccoon go away with almost everything, Thor had come to realise. He didn’t know what he should think about it. 

Stretching his arms, Loki yawned. “I wonder how he will try to persuade her into staying. After all, she didn’t leave because she was so fond of you fools.”

Thor hissed. “Brother, don’t be so tactless!”

“You have the audacity to call me tactless? Bold.”

“He’s right,” Rocket interfered, ears slumped. “It’s not only that she’s not fond of us. She doesn’t know us. It’s hard on everyone, but Groot feels especially abandoned. The last he knew was that she was a mother to him, and now she’s gone. It’s been a year, and he’s only getting angrier. I don’t know what to do.”

The brother’s gazes met over the little raccoon’s head. He never before told them so much about his personal problems. Thor eyed the empty bottles behind them suspiciously. Did he drink too much?

“I have no idea what Quill’s planning on doing!” the raccoon ranted. “We don’t even have space for her! Does he think his charm is enough to lull her back into his bed? That took him nearly a year the first time!” 

“Cheer up, rabbit,” Thor said and gently put a hand on Rocket’s shoulder. “Sometimes paths diverge. That doesn’t mean they are destined to never converge again.”

He smiled at his brother, who swallowed uncomfortably. “It’s easier if the concerned parties remember they once knew each other,” Loki pointed out. 

Thor shrugged. “Of course. But giving up on a loved one is never an option. I’m with Quill on this.” 

“You’re too sentimental.”

“My best feature.”

“Debatable.”

“Admit.”

“You know me better.”

“Indeed.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, stop it!” Rocket cried. “I get it, you two love each other so much and are so perfect at reconciling and catching up, we all should take lessons from you wise old men!”

It made Thor laugh, while Loki seemed disgusted. “A wonderful summary, rabbit. Wouldn’t you agree, my beloved brother?”

Loki huffed and shoved Thor’s abandoned cards in front of him. “You’re next,” he hissed. But his eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement.

“Thor!”

“Hmmm?”

“Don’t hmmm at me! Over there!”

Thor lifted his head, disinterested. He was inspecting a smith’s work and not in the mood to leave the hammers in favour of daggers, whatever Loki said.

“What is it?”

“Are you blind? Is this new eye just for decoration?”

“I really don’t - oh.”

He followed Loki’s view out of the wide opened door, to the town’s overcrowded marketplace. And there she was. Strolling from fruit stall to bakery, eating an apple, completely at peace. Gamora. 

They stared at her for what felt like an eternity, until the smith interrupted them. “Found something?”

“Yes - no, I’m sorry, we were just looking,” Thor answered embarrassed, clutching Stormbreaker’s hilt until his knuckles got white. He never thought about him and Loki finding Gamora, when they weren’t even searching for her. He had no idea what to do. 

“I see,” the smith smiled sadly. “No hammer could keep up with an axe like that.”

“That’s not it, actually I prefer hammers, it’s just-” he stopped, glaring at his brother for support. 

With the ease of a long history of completing Thor’s stammering, Loki continued, “You have an impressing variety of goods. Under normal circumstances, we’d like to take a closer look. Yet it happens we saw an old acquaintance of ours. The Zehoberei outside.” 

He nodded, and the smith turned. His face fell. “I don’t know what business you have with her, but she is a very dangerous mercenary. Notorious, around here.” He lowered his voice. “She was connected to the Mad Titan, years ago. I wouldn’t advise an interaction.”

The smith hurried away, and the brothers shared a look. “What do you suggest?” Thor asked.

“Run,” Loki jested, tense. He nibbled at his lower lip, a sign for strain.

“We never spoke about how you feel about her, brother. But it’s unfair to the Guardians if we don’t make contact,” Thor pointed out, waiting anxiously for Loki’s reaction.

His brother exhaled deeply. “It’s probably for the best it’s us who stumbled over her. She would flee them on first sight. Let’s go talk to her.”

Thor was hesitant. “Are you sure-”

Loki already left the shop, and Thor had to hasten to keep up. She was still standing at the bakery, inspecting the offer. Clearing his voice, Loki stopped a few steps away. “Lady Gamora.”

The warrior whirled around, drawing her sword. She recognised him immediately. “Loki of Asgard,” she said, voice even. “You came a long way to die.”

“Actually, I came a long way from death, but I guess that’s just semantics,” Loki answered drily. He didn’t take a fighting stance, but Thor could feel the unsettled magic radiating from his body. 

“You’re here because my father and his army are gone and I’m the only one left for your revenge,” she concluded, her eyes never leaving his. “You know you don’t stand a chance against me.”

Gritting his teeth, Loki responded, “Oh, how I wish to correct you. Unfortunately, I’m not here to fight.”

She laughed. “Still the same coward screaming for Big Brother to help. I see.”

That was enough for Thor to nearly forget Gamora once saved his life. He left his place behind Loki and stepped next to him. “May I introduce myself? Big Brother. We met.”

Her gaze scanned him, starting with his broad shoulders, lingering for a second on Stormbreaker and finally staying at his face. “I don’t think so. Your brother is a coward if he brought a bodyguard, as I said. Do you wish to fight here or shall we seek out a quieter place? It would be easier for me to depose your bodies.”

Thor wasn’t afraid of her. Although he knew she was very skilled, he wouldn’t even need Loki’s help to defeat her. But he was frightened of causing her to attack and having to kill her. He could feel the lightning building up under his skin, a direct response to her careless threats. “Then think again. I met you first a few years back, on the board of the Benatar. You met me first at the battle on Mid- Terra. You remember? When Stark killed the purple bastard?”

Slowly, she lowered her sword. “No, I don’t remember _you_ being there. Nor this wimp you call a brother.”

For the first time since the battle, the lightning consumed Thor. It crawled over his skin, lit his eye and emanated electricity around them. Dark clouds built up over their heads. He was about to strike her, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Loki hissed when he made contact with the raw power. “Brother,” he warned. 

Only the wish to not hurt him unintentionally gave Thor the strength to let the lightning die. The sky remained dark, though. 

Gamora frowned, looking again at Stormbreaker. “Okay, you’re right. You were there. I still don’t get what you want from me.”

“We just want to talk,” Loki said exasperated, clutching Thor’s shoulder stronger to keep him calm. “After all you did, this isn’t too much to ask.” 

Her scornful gaze wandered to him. “Sure.” 

Thor would have given in to the temptation to electrocute her, wasn’t it for this gaze. He had seen it before, on the face of the beloved brother at his side. Once, Loki had uttered similar hateful words. “I give you my word.” 

He nodded towards a table in front of a nearby tavern. Sighing, she sheathed her sword, and they went to sit down. Gamora took the seat opposite from the brothers and stared.

They shared a look. Thor could read Loki’s thoughts in his clouded eyes. He wished to be everywhere but there at the moment. Reassuringly, Thor smiled at him and faced Gamora again. He wondered briefly how Loki managed to be so composed. Were their roles reversed, Thor most likely would have levelled the town by now. 

“Currently, we live on the Benatar with the Guardians of the Galaxy,” Thor began. Usually, he relied on Loki in matters which required talking. This he had to do alone. “They spent the last months looking for you.”

Gamora’s brows furrowed and she wanted to speak, but Thor preempted her words. “I’m aware you don’t know any of them. You have no obligations to them. They are not your family, but you are theirs, whether you like it or not. All they want is a chance.” 

He knew he was putting his head above the parapet with his next words. “What do you have to lose if you grant them their wish? I don’t know about your reasons to leave Terra without even considering to catch up with them. But your life here is empty, if you are honest with yourself.” 

Though he was only assuming, he knew the person Gamora had become. Her bizarre family was all she cared for, and without them there wasn’t anything else. He waited patiently for her response.

“I can’t decide if you’re an idiot or if you try to lull me into trusting you so you can assassinate me in a dark alley. Which would mean you are an idiot, too.”

It wasn’t the answer Thor had wished to hear, but one he expected. “Let’s put murder aside for a moment, shall we? Even if you don’t care about reconciling with the ones you loved or will come to love, what about Nebula? Does she mean nothing to you?”

Her sister was the ace Thor had up his sleeve. He shot a side glance to his silent brother. Loki’s gaze was focused on the table in front of them, fingers interlaced tightly in his lap. 

“She not my real sister,” Gamora insisted. Loki’s eyes darted towards her, and even Thor could hear the lie.

“You can tell that yourself over and over, it won’t change a thing,” Loki said embittered. 

She ignored him and looked at Thor. “Maybe there is nothing to lose, but there is nothing to gain either. Every chance I might have had on a real life, Thanos took from me. Of what use is it to surround me with people who experienced a life with me I never had and never will have?”

Thor opened his mouth. A small gesture his brother made stopped him. “A few weeks ago, my brother travelled back in time to speak with me. When he arrived, around a decade ago, he told me of the life ahead of us.”

It was hard for Thor to keep a straight face. That wasn’t _exactly_ what happened, but he guessed Loki had a reason for changing the tale. So he stifled his surprise. 

“It was shortly after the failed invasion on Terra. As you know, at the time we weren’t on good terms. I had tried to kill him a few times. He hadn’t been much gentler.”

Loki’s foot nudged Thor’s leg as if he sensed his brother wanted to object. Thor kept silent. 

“Of course, yours is not the precisely same situation. But let me tell you, I wondered. Why would he undertake the trouble of time travel, only to speak to me? I wasn’t very fond of him, then. Still I decided to come back to him, if only out of curiosity. To me, it paid off.”

Gamora rolled her eyes. “How touching. Your point?”

Loki exhaled very slowly. “The point,” he snapped, then changed to a more sober tone, “is it's not bad to be loved by other people. It took me a few centuries to detect this simple truth. You won’t have the time, so I save it for you.”

Having said what he wanted, he leaned back and folded his arms.

She surveyed him thoughtfully. “Why?” she questioned at least, voice almost soft. “We didn’t part on good terms either. I can’t see why you would meddle with my life for the better.” 

In silence, Thor asked himself the same thing. He couldn’t envision Loki to be open with her, but maybe Thor was more lucky, later, back on the Benatar. 

“I'd hate to become predictable,” Loki said simply. “And you owing me could prove useful in the future.”

Snorting, Gamora nodded. “Right. I’m still not convinced.”

Thor chimed in. “We aren’t the ones you should talk to, anyway. What about a casual meeting with the Guardians? Or only Nebula, should you prefer. You could tell them at least that you are alright. Tomorrow, same time, same place?”

The offer was thoroughly considered, it seemed, before Gamora nodded wearily. She stood abruptly and left without another word. 

Loki had been quiet on their way back. Thor decided against interrogating him. It was better if his brooding brother came to terms with his thoughts first. In the past, Thor’s impatience on such matters often turned out to them fighting each other, without Loki’s anger being directed at Thor initially. So he gave him time.

When they arrived at the bridge, the Guardians were already gathered around the board computer, Loki’s list on display, a great part of it already crossed out. Quill didn’t try to hide it. 

“What took you so long,” he growled. 

Thor didn’t get a chance to speak. “I’m not interested in your boring stories, Thor. This is a complete waste of time.”

He turned his head, addressing Loki. “I don’t know what game you’re playing. Enough with it. You’re not going to laugh about me any longer, do you hear me?”

On his command, the list was erased from the screen. “I should never have listened to you.”

"You must be joking,” Loki snarled. “I don’t believe you’re physically able to listen.”

Mantis’s antennas trembled. With worry in her eyes, she looked at Quill. The others followed her example, except Drax, who nibbled absentmindedly at his thumb. 

“I allowed you and your dimwitted brother to stay on my ship!” Quill screamed. He reached for his blaster. “I should have melted you when I had the chance!”

“I’d love you to try,” Loki shot back. Hate gleamed in his eyes, and Thor was about to step in, when he added, “You should be on your knees before me, kissing my boots, you ungrateful mortal.”

In his mind’s eye, Thor saw daggers flying. But Loki surprised him again. He turned around and left the room. Thor stared for a moment, before he hurried after him.

“I want to be alone, brother,” Loki snapped, already outside the ship. “One more second with him and I will commit murder.”

“I know,” Thor said, calming. “I just - you are coming back, yes?”

“Of course. Stop asking dumb questions!”

And he was gone. Yet, Thor was pacified. He wondered briefly since when he trusted Loki’s words again, but he did, so he went back in. 

“What you’re still doing here?” Quill greeted him. 

Thor forced a smile on his lips. It turned out more as a baring of teeth. “I’m trying very hard not to crush your skull, at the moment. If you speak to my brother like this again, I will.”

He took a small paper from his pocket, where he had noted the date of the meeting with Gamora and directions and shoved it in Nebula’s hand, who had witnessed the exchange smugly. “I’m very tempted to tear it apart and forget it ever existed. You’re lucky us gods take pity on you morons.”

Then he stamped to their chamber. For the first time since they left Midgard, he questioned his decision to go with them. He had really taken leave of his senses, then. The Guardians had been trying at their best, and without Gamora there wasn’t a voice of reason. 

He locked his door and went for the Xbox. Despite his new found love for books, mostly because they were the best surrogate for his lost homeworld, he couldn’t concentrate on reading. The noise of the game would swallow his thoughts.

It didn’t work very well. While he slayed enemy after enemy on-screen, his mind wandered to dark places. If they left the Guardians, where would they go? Thor had never planned to spend the rest of his life on the Benatar, he wasn’t that delusional. But he had expected more time to figure out a new course, and relied on Loki’s input. 

Through the game’s sound he could hear the knocking at his door, whereas he pretended not to. He wasn’t in the mood for dishonest apologies. 

With a loud clank, the door opened. Thor threw his controller at the wall out of frustration. 

“Of what use is a lock if everyone can come in?”

“Not everyone.” He heard Rocket’s voice and sighed. The raccoon was the only one whose company he could endure in this moment. “Do you really think this lock is an obstacle for someone who broke out of 31 prisons? Please. As if I couldn’t hack my own ship.”

“Alright. Don’t tell my brother. When I think about it - he probably casts defensive spells at night. So it doesn’t matter.”

“I’m pretty sure you don’t believe me right now, but we’re not actually scheduling a raid of your room at night.”

“They wouldn’t tell you.”

Rocket ignored his bitter comment. “I came in peace, okay? To thank you.”

“My brother managed to persuade her into meeting you. You could thank _him_, if you hadn’t expel him from the ship.”

“That wasn’t me,” Rocket answered. “When he’s coming back, I will thank him too, of course.” He hesitated. “He _is_ coming back?”

“Of course,” Thor repeated numbly. “I’m here. As yet that’s enough for him, I believe.”

“I like him,” Rocket stated matter-of-factly. Thor shot him a disbelieving look. “I do!” he insisted. “To be honest, he fits perfectly with us. When we first met, Groot and I were trying to sell Quill. Gamora wanted to rob him. In prison we picked Drax up, to stop him from killing Gamora. We fought against Nebula as much as at her side. Mantis was involved with Quill’s dad, who fathered him only to sacrifice him. We’re not the easiest people to be around, for sure.”

“I noticed,” Thor confirmed drily. “That’s not an excuse, though.”

“Yeah.” The raccoon rubbed his face. “Only an explanation. I’ll talk to Quill later. He’s too nervous right now.”

“You’re wise beyond your years, sweet rabbit.”

Rocket rolled his eyes. “That’s why I’m captain.”

Despite everything, Thor chuckled. But Rocket wasn’t done. “You of all people know what it’s like to lose everything. Both of us had time to learn how to go on. I did better than you, obviously. Quill was dead. Then he wasn't, and even got his girl back, only for her to not remember him and flee. He has no idea how to deal with it. And it doesn’t bring his best sides out.”

“I have yet to discover if he has any good sides,” Thor said gravely. 

The raccoon shrugged. “Gamora thought so. I hope she will find them for a second time.”

“You realise he has to put himself in her shoes for that to happen, don't you?”

“If her return depends on that, we’re doomed. My bet is on Nebula’s influence,” he admitted.

“How does she fare?”

“Don’t know. She locked herself into her room. I guess I have to talk to her later, too.”

Thor frowned. “You intend to have many conversations tonight, my friend.”

“Feel honoured, you’re the first. Well, technically Groot was the first. He’s still angry at her. I had to calm him down.”

“Play a game with me, then. Before you act on your captain responsibilities.”

Rocket humoured him. 

It was late at night when Thor woke. Loki didn’t turn on the lights, but the movements were enough to stir the well-trained warrior in Thor. He shifted to the edge of the bed, so his brother could climb in more easily.

“Are you alright?” he asked gently.

“I still don’t want to talk, brother.” 

Thor nodded, although Loki faced the wall and not him. “Sleep well,” he wished and carefully placed his hand on the back of his brother’s neck. Loki didn’t flinch away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And again... ending a chapter with sleep xD
> 
> I enjoy writing this more mature version of Rocket we saw in Endgame, and, to an extent, in Infinity War. I can imagine he's the one holding the group together.


	5. New Skills

“Do you think she showed up?” Thor asked. The Guardians had left the ship an hour ago, and he was nervous. Gamora meant nothing to him, to the contrary. The thought of her and Loki under the same roof was unnerving. All the same, he feared the meeting wouldn’t go well. 

The brothers had stayed in their room during the morning, and no one had dared to disturb them. He knew not if Rocket had been successful at persuading Quill of behaving. He knew not why he cared. 

“Certainly. I’m only acquainted with her being straightforward. If she had planned on standing them up, she wouldn’t have agreed on a meeting in the first place." Loki was sprawled on the couch, appearing completely unfazed. 

“What’s the chance they will coax her into joining the team?”

“Meagre. I still can’t believe they managed one time.”

Sighing deeply, Thor shoved Loki’s feet to the side and sat down on the couch. His brother only grumbled displeased and nudged his thigh. He wasn’t bothered. “I hope they will. If they don’t, we probably have to find another place. I’m sure Quill will blame us if they fail.”

“Of course he will. He blames us for everything, if it slipped your notice.”

“It didn’t.”

Loki gave up on trying to push Thor to the floor. “Then why do you want to stay?”

“I owe Rocket a great debt. If it wasn’t for him, I would still be wasted in this shack on Midgard. He proved himself a formidable comrade-in-arms. A friend. And Groot is hilarious.”

“Do you try to replace the Warriors Three? Or the Avengers?” Loki questioned with an expression of pity. 

“No! What’s wrong with making new friends? You should give it a go, for a change.”

“I was never one for friends. Too preoccupied with my oafish brother.”

“Funny, Loki. Do you see me laugh?” Thor rolled his eyes. 

“_I_ am laughing. I can live with that.”

“Haha,” Thor answered, mind elsewhere. “For that matter, I wondered about your tale yesterday. Did I hit my head? Your story differed from my recollection.” 

Now it was Loki’s turn to be annoyed. “Of course it did. She had to relate to our story. You never got the hang of lying. It’s about meddling truths and falsehoods, until they are indistinguishable. She’s like you. A capable interrogator, but never able to completely extract trueness.”

Thor squirmed uneasily. “Very comforting. So when I ask you what you did last night, you would tell me a fictional story studded with facts?”

“What makes you think I wouldn’t speak the truth?” Loki asked back, far too amused for Thor’s liking.

“Experience.”

“I’m impressed. Maybe there’s still hope for you.”

When Thor wanted to object, Loki shushed him. “Leave it be. I only went to a bar. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.”

Although he knew exactly these words could mean anything (what even was Loki’s definition of ordinary?), Thor kept his silence. Pressing Loki never worked in his favour. As long as he came back, Thor would have to live with Loki having his secrets. Unfortunately, it was his personality.

“Don’t sulk. Do you want me to read something to you?”

It was an easy, obvious distraction. Maybe you could call it manipulation. Loki was aware of how Thor loved his brother reading to him, how it soothed him. He gave in, nevertheless. Loki summoned the old book with tales of Vanaheim from the shelf. Seeing the small tome, Thor remembered an idea from the day before.

“Would you like to go to Vanaheim?” he asked. “It came to my mind yesterday. If the situation with the Guardians won’t settle, it’s an option.”

Loki stiffened. “I’d rather not. I’m not comfortable with the memories Mother’s home would inflict.” 

He opened the book and searched for a story. Thor wondered briefly why he had no problem with the book, which was filled with such memories only. But everyone mourns differently. So he closed his eyes, leaned back and listened to the solacing voice of his brother.

Halfway through the third story, they heard the Guardians coming back. Loki stopped in mid-sentence. “We should probably learn how it went.”

“Aye,” Thor agreed and heaved himself to his feet. “No need to stall.”

They approached the bridge carefully. There were loud voices, but the Guardians had a habit of screaming at each other whether they were angry or not. Thor couldn’t tell if the voices sounded happy.

As they entered the room, Groot stormed out, Rocket at his heels. The raccoon briefly smiled at them, before he shouted, “Don’t be such a baby! Your language is hard to understand if someone doesn’t know you!”

The rest of the team was gathered near the entrance. The prominent green figure in the midst of them couldn’t be missed. Thor gave Loki a smile which wasn’t returned. 

“Lady Gamora,” he greeted. “It’s a pleasure to see you here.” 

Loki snorted, but Gamora lifted the corners of her mouth slightly. “Thank you.” She hesitated, then added, “I’m sorry about my behaviour yesterday. I didn’t act very amicably.”

“That’s nothing new,” Loki muttered under his breath. 

Judging by Gamora’s gritting of teeth, she had heard him. “I never apologised for the role I played in your suffering. I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” 

“Nor will I grant it,” Loki replied. 

She nodded. “Fair enough.”

Quill broke the tension in the room. “Come on, I show you the ship!”

He sounded excited like a little boy. Gamora looked at Nebula, who stepped next to her without a word. The three of them made their way out. 

“How did you do it?” Thor asked the remaining Guardians, Drax and Mantis. “We weren’t… too optimistic about your chances.”

“It was a fierce battle,” Drax declared, and Thor wasn’t sure if an _actual_ battle was involved. 

“She agreed to accompany us for three months,” Mantis explained excited. Her antennas glowed with happiness. 

“Enlightening,” was Loki’s commentary. He whispered at Thor, “We should ask Rocket the questions, not these imbeciles.” 

They retreated to their room. It didn’t take Rocket long to join them. “I don’t know what to do with him,” he complained the second he closed the door. “He’s insufferable. Yeah, he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but this amount of ignorance is exhausting. He doesn’t get it! Is time travel truly that hard to grasp?”

Loki smirked at Thor. “Some test it and don’t have the slightest clue what they are doing.”

Rocket waved him off, before Thor could voice his objection. “He doesn’t count. At least he’s trying.”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room.”

The raccoon chuckled. “You have no idea what we say when you’re not around.”

“Instead of insulting me, you could tell us how you managed to get her here,” Thor suggested grumpily.

“Right. Wasn’t easy. Quill babbled endlessly about all our shared adventures and how deeply in love they are. She wasn’t a fan. Almost left, until Nebula took over. She wasn’t much better, to be honest. Lost herself in deeply disturbing stories of their childhood. But we came prepared. Mantis was seated next to her, and when Nebula found a memory which didn’t make Gamora ill, she did her thing.”

Loki glared at him, baffled. “You manipulated her feelings?”

“Only amplified them a little. Mantis is getting better at doing it without a lingering touch. A brief contact of hands was all it took.”

“That’s… harsh,” Loki decided. 

“What, brother. Manipulation is used in the best families,” Thor grinned.

“I don’t know if you refer to theirs or ours, I’m sure both wouldn’t stand the term,” Loki snapped.

“Mantis won’t do it again. Gamora gave us three months for now, that’s hopefully enough. And Quill’s planning on getting back to doing galaxy-saving stuff. No matter how things turn out, it’s one advantage.”

They played another card game from Midgard. Loki wasn’t completely committed, Thor came to realise quickly. Otherwise, he would never be able to beat his brother so often and with such less grievance. _We have to talk_, he contemplated.

The moment came after Rocket took his leave. Only before he could even start to think about how to begin the conversation, Loki spoke. “How’s your lightning going?”

“Excuse me?”

“Yesterday was the first time I saw you using it in months. And it wasn’t quite intentionally, was it? Actually, you never managed to control it fully, to my belief.”

Thor frowned. “No. But don’t worry, I have Stormbreaker now to help me channel it. I should be fine.”

Loki made a sound of disgust. “It’s unwise to relate only on the might of a single weapon to handle your powers. Did you forget what Hela did to your beloved hammer?”

Chuckling nervously, Thor asked, “Do you suggest we have another evil sibling hidden somewhere, eager to emerge and destroy our toys?” 

“Can you eliminate the possibility?” Loki gave back drily. 

“I don’t think there was another layer of wall decoration underneath the lovely images of Hela.”

“I didn’t bring it up to jest. There might be other forces in the universe, which could overpower the axe.” 

“Why do you always have to expect the worst,” Thor wondered. “It’s exhausting.”

Cocking his head, Loki declared, “Alas, that’s the reason I have survived until now. We stay until Gamora has settled her affairs. It might take a few days. So I propose to search for a training ground tomorrow.”

Despite him doubting the necessity, Thor’s face lit up. “You would spar with me?” He had never asked, knowing his brother hated sparring, especially with Thor. 

A devilish smile appeared on Loki’s face. “Oh, no. I would teach you.”

“That sounds much less fun,” Thor added for consideration. 

“Maybe less fun for you.”

After their talk, Thor had been too preoccupied with the prospect of training with Loki to ask him about what impact Gamora’s presence had on him. When he woke to Loki’s groaning later that night, he regretted it immediately.

“Loki,” he said softly, facing his brother’s back. “Wake up.”

It wasn’t enough to stir Loki. He was curled into a tense ball and murmured under his breath. Thor wasn’t able to make out the words, so he carefully reached for Loki’s shoulder and shook him, with no effect at all.

“Norns,” he cursed. Loki might be able to sooth Thor without waking him. Thor didn’t possess a similar gift. He briefly considered ignoring his brother’s struggles, maybe the nightmare would cease on its own, but couldn’t bring himself to turn his back. Not when tears streamed over Loki’s face.

“Brother,” he called, louder. Still no response. If sounds didn’t help, physical contact was his only possibility left. He shifted closer, until his chest touched Loki’s strained back, and slung his arm around his brother’s torso. 

Thinking about what Mother might have done, he leaned over Loki’s head and started whispering soothing nothingnesses into his ear, alternating with planting kisses on his temple. It took a minute or two, then Loki startled with a gasp. Thor tightened his grip. “It’s alright. I’m here.”

The sentence had worked on him, so maybe it would be sufficient to calm his brother as well. Loki slowly stretched out, but the tension didn’t leave him.

“Thor, why are you kissing me? It’s disgusting.” There was no trembling in his voice, no sign of the dream. 

“Mother kissed me better when I was young and hurt. I didn’t come up with a better idea,” Thor admitted and lay his head down again. Were all younger siblings ungrateful arses or just his? 

Though when he drew his arm back, Loki grasped his wrist. “Just stop the busses.”

Sighing, Thor tugged him closer again. They stayed in silence for a long while. Thor was already drifting off when he heard Loki murmur, “Thank you. For not asking.”

“Wouldn’t have got an answer anyway,” Thor yawned and buried his head deeper in Loki’s hair. He fell asleep to the sound of his brother’s soft chuckling.

In the morning, Loki refused to talk about the nightmare. Or Gamora. Or anything. When Thor’s questions had annoyed him enough, he cast a simple silencing spell and ignored Thor’s indignant staring. Watching him slam the door shut behind him satisfied the omnipresent trickster in Loki. The spell lost its virtue the minute Thor stepped out, and he wondered how long it would take his brother to notice. 

He let himself loll in bed a little longer and enjoyed the quietness. It had been nice, sleeping with Thor’s steady heartbeat behind him. No need to allow him to become cocky, though. The urge to shove Thor away after Loki had shown him his vulnerability was something he probably would never fully overcome. 

It was true, he wasn’t enthusiastic about staying with not only one but two of his torturers under one roof. Nevertheless, he could manage. He would. There were more pressing matters to think about for the moment. 

Sooner or later, the situation would escalate. Probably due to Quill’s stubborn impatience. No way he would give Gamora the time and space she needed to acclimate herself. And who would he vent his anger on? Certainly two innocent Asgardians. 

Maybe he would kick them out. Then Loki’s issues would just begin. Thor already thought about getting to Vanaheim. For the moment, he had averted this calamity. But he knew his brother. Once Thor had an idea, he was prone to perform it. 

During the last weeks, Loki had pursued investigations. He had disabled three more scouting groups of Alfheim. His Jotunn nature proved very useful in getting information before he revealed himself and slit throats. 

The news he learned were disturbing. The first two groups told him no more than he already knew, but after the unpleasant encounter with Quill two days before he found one with fresh intel. Vanaheim was currently ruled by distant family of Frigga, and they were loyal to Thor. Others didn’t share the sentiment. Civil war threatened the realm, and going there would surely work as a catalyst. Over time, the king would be replaced or coerced to align himself with Alfheim.

The Light Elves even had made contact with Jotunheim. Unsurprisingly, the Jotnar weren’t opposed to take revenge on the house of Odin and hunt his son down. Their only advantage was the circumstance Loki was believed deceased throughout all the realms. And Thor thought him playing dead was a bad idea. 

After musing on all he knew for several minutes, Loki came to two conclusions. One, the only ally they could rely on was Midgard. Considering all Thor told him, the Avengers as they formed to fight Loki were no more. Stark and the Widow were dead, the Hawk and the Captain had retired. He met the Banner-Hulk only briefly after he had returned to his brother’s side, but it was obvious he wasn’t keen on fighting anymore. 

Something similar to guilt let Loki desist from the thought of recruiting him again to outer space quarrels. They owed him for his help against Hela, and the fact he was successful in fusing the man and the monster into a functioning unit was something Loki admired. Envied even, perhaps. He struggled with the task every single day. 

There were others, of course. Only Loki knew not enough about them to estimate their powers and to a greater degree their obligation to Thor. After the last fight on a cosmic scale was won with dire losses, he couldn’t imagine them being eager to join yet another battle out of their league. 

The sole possibility would be the woman touched by the Tesseract. She was strong enough, and experienced. Sadly, she was neither close to Thor nor available, too occupied with other fights in other galaxies. So Midgard wouldn’t prove itself useful.

The second conclusion Loki drew was one he’d rather not. They had to stay on the Benatar as long as possible. Despite all their flaws, the Guardians were formidable fighters. They probably wouldn’t stand a chance against the united forces of three of the Nine Realms, but they were better than nothing. And foremost they had control over the Benatar, a fast, inconspicuous ship. Exactly the ship he and his brother needed to travel without big fuss. He briefly considered a mutiny, only to discard the idea. There was no way Thor would approve of him throwing his friends out. 

So Loki had to ensure the Guardians would work out their issues. He had three months to help integrating Gamora to the team. Not an easy task, considering their history. Maybe he could use the guilt she felt about her actions to his favour? That was, _if_ she felt it.

When Thor finally reappeared, he rejoiced at the distraction. The course he was about to take would be hard, and he could use a pause from his racing thoughts. 

Thor approached him carefully, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “I swear, I won’t inquire you further. Do you still want to go to the training ground?” 

Loki saw hope and pleasant anticipation glimmering in his brother’s bright blue eyes. It amused Loki how eager he was, although he deemed the task redundant. Of course, he had no idea why Loki wanted to foster his powers. “Aye. Give me one minute to get ready.”

He wasn’t really surprised as Thor followed him to the bathroom. “One minute, brother,” he said with a cocked eyebrow. “I will tend to your beard afterwards.”

Smiling at him, Thor backed off. It was endearing how he looked forward to Loki’s daily braiding instead of doing it himself. Not that Loki objected.

Loki had been to many training fields in his life. The one he inspected now was like every other. There were youngsters, entangled in fiery fights, completely needlessly craving to prove themselves. The seasoned warriors, shaking their heads in exhaustion over the eagerness around them and indulging in much slower, more utilitarian combats. They gave often unwanted advice, nevertheless. Once in a while, the crowd would gather around a truly promising match between powerful equals. 

When Thor came back from bargaining and showed him the corner assigned to them, Loki actually looked forward to the lesson. He had always enjoyed having Thor at his command. 

“Well,” Thor began, “what’s your plan?”

“I assume we don’t have to work on your aim,” Loki said. “Even immediately after your dear sister had taken your eye it was on point. But in closed rooms you are at a disadvantage. That’s why you were beaten on the Statesman so easily.”

Thor flinched, although Loki deliberately had avoided calling the Mad Titan by his name. It was a wound not yet scarred. He went on without addressing Thor’s uneasiness. “Your first assignment is rather unspectacular. I want you to electrocute the dummy without harming the wall behind it.”

He waved his hands, and a dummy shimmered into existence. He didn’t assume the locals would be too happy about their own being destroyed by the dozens. 

It took Thor over half an hour to achieve the task. Loki wasn’t taken aback. Their fondness for smashing without restraint was a habit his brother and the former Hulk had in common.

After he had observed the wall and praised his proud brother thoroughly, Loki went on with another exercise. “Now, it’s time to increase the intensity.”

He could tell on the fast gathering clouds over his head this was more to Thor’s liking. He enjoyed the confusion of the warriors around them for a second, before he dampened Thor’s mood. “No,” he said firmly, and now the confusion was with Thor. “Let the clouds be. Another downside of fighting on the inside, or in space for the matter, is the lack of atmosphere. Lightning runs through your veins, it's your kind of magic and the source of your abilities. But your true might comes from your summoning of available electricity in the sky. Buildings don’t tend to give you this perk. You have to learn to use more of the power of your direct surroundings.”

Thor’s face fell, and the clouds one by one vanished. “How would I do that?”

“Close your eyes,” Loki instructed. “Sense it. There is voltage all around us. Of course I’m not familiar how far your powers reach, but in theory you should be able to summon all of it. Resign only from using the energy of the living, I recommend. Although it could be useful in battle to stop the hearts of your enemies, in training it would turn out disastrous. I’d like to live for another day.”

The second task was far more difficult. Thor spent over an hour hitting the dummies with weak, flickering flashes. Most of them he didn’t even destroy. 

Finally, Thor snapped. The thunderclouds returned, lightning travelled down to him and he stroke the dummy with enough might the wall behind it exploded to millions of pieces.

“Impressive,” Loki said sardonically, rebuilding the wall with a spell before they could be kicked out. “Not what I wanted you to do, though.”

“It’s impossible!” Thor shouted. “Your theory is wrong.”

“That’s a possibility, only I’m not prone to miscalculations.”

The depth of Thor’s frustration was probably sensable on the whole field. Loki looked around. Initially, he had wanted to avoid attention, after all he had committed sixfold murder two days before. But all attendees already looked at them due to his brother’s outburst, so he could as well humour Thor. “Don’t sulk now. You can’t expect to master something at the first try you did differently for centuries. Would you like to spar?”

Thor’s head shot up. “Of course! Would you?”

“What I do for you,” Loki sighed theatrically. “Aye. But with training swords, and without lightning, so we’ll be able to come back here. No need to scare them all to death.” 

He had hardly finished when Thor ran off. He was back shortly after, four training swords and a huge grin on display. Loki grimaced. “Double swords? Do you hate me so much?”

His brother only grinned wider. “Come on. I need a sense of achievement.”

They lined up, facing each other. Thor held a sword in each hand, Loki had one sheathed at his hip. 

“For Asgard’s honour,” Thor said the old words of a contender, solemnly. Loki’s smile was thin when he answered. “For Asgard’s glory.”

The exchange had opened every combat on the Realm Eternal for as long as history books went back, and even after it’s fall an all but holy power could be felt resonating in the words. 

Thor leapt at his brother, providing him with blows from left and right. Loki turned to his side, dodging one sword and meeting the other in a sound that made his hair stand on end. If there had been a single soul on the place not already watching them, now they did. 

The brothers crossed their swords in familiar patterns, even after all this time knowing each other too well to show any weaknesses. Loki cursed under his breath when he had to let himself fall to avoid a stab from Thor aimed at his upper arm. He rolled away, unsheathing his second sword in the process.

The smugness on his brother’s face told Loki it was exactly what he had aimed for. They both knew Loki hated wielding two swords at once, while Thor loved to. One weapon wasn’t sufficient against two, and Loki had to yield to his brother’s plan. Determined on making him pay for his choice, Loki attacked fiercely. 

Soon they were involved in a heated clash. He managed to meet each of Thor’s thrusts, but barely. At his next foray Loki dived under his arm, getting behind his brother and pushing him down. Thor gave in easily, bringing himself out of Loki’s reach. He was at his feet again in a heartbeat, smirking. 

Loki smirked back, and suddenly there were four of him in a line, charging at Thor. 

“That’s unfair,” Thor laughed while jumping back and parrying a blow. “If I’m not allowed to use my magic, neither should you.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal,” all four of them mocked in unison. 

Thor whirled around, slicing at the height of his brother’s stomach. The illusions faded, only the real Loki blocked and gave himself away. “Got you,” Thor professed contentedly and attacked again. 

“I didn’t make it too hard,” Loki replied while preparing the only assault he thought could give him the upper hand. He created another mirage, only one, and slightly more solid than the last. It managed to deceive Thor for one precious moment which was enough for Loki to encircle Thor again and jump on his back, letting one sword go and throwing the now free arm around his neck.

Judging by the “oof!” that escaped Thor’s mouth, he took him by surprise. But before Loki could hold the blade to his throat, Thor lunged his whole weight back and fell on Loki who landed on the ground. All air left Loki’s lungs and the remaining sword fell from his loosening grip. His brother was standing instantly, pointing the tip of his weapon to Loki’s throat. 

“You fight dirty,” Loki gasped. “I yield.”

“I was advised to adjust to my surroundings,” Thor grinned and pulled him to his feet. “Thank you. That was fun.”

“Next time, we fight with daggers,” Loki announced gravely and rubbed his ribs. Did the oaf break one?

“There will be a next time?” Thor asked in wonder, a genuine smile spreading over his lips.

“If you behave.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually, I never before wrote an explicit fight, not even a training fight. It was... harder than I expected :D  
I kinda invented how exactly Thor's powers work. I found Ragnarok and Infinity War/Endgame contradicting in that department, so I made them how it fitted best^^


	6. Alliances

Loki watched the Guardians closely for the next days. They travelled through space, so there wasn’t a chance to train Thor further and he had to focus on his other task. As it were, Quill made no progress with Gamora, to the contrary. Though, there was a glimmer of hope - her sister. Similar to Loki, who endured the Guardians on behalf of his brother, Gamora seemed inclined to stay for Nebula’s sake. Just like him and Thor, they shared a quarter, and one night after Quill had surrendered for the day and retreated to his own room, Loki met them in the kitchen. 

They sat at the table, deep in conversation, and startled at his entrance. He held up his hands. “No need to draw weapons. I’m only after an apple.” 

As he went towards the storing unit, he examined them thoroughly. Nebula watched him with narrowed eyes, Gamora’s expression was more thoughtful. He took his time in selecting a fruit, while studying them in a quickly conjured reflecting coat of ice on the door. 

Gamora looked at her sister and nodded in his direction. Nebula shook her head fiercely, only to get an elbow to her side. She huffed and tilted her head slightly. Gamora smiled and cleared her throat. “If you could spare the time, we’d like you sitting with us for a moment.”

Although the words were asked kindly, a jolt of panic shot through Loki. He breathed deeply, composed himself and picked the next best apple. “Of course.”

Slowly he approached them and sat down. The prospect of talking wasn’t pleasant, but he needed them to cooperate. There wouldn’t be a better opportunity in the near future.

They stared in silence. Gamora’s eyes were locked on his own, Nebula decided to focus rather on the table. Straightforward as ever, Gamora said, “We want to apologise for our deeds. As you know, they weren’t quite deliberate, but we are responsible, nonetheless.” Again she poked Nebula, who looked up and nodded shortly. 

Loki debated his answer inwardly. A path manifested in his mind, to achieve what he needed of them. He took a bite of the apple, to gain time. He would have to push his feelings down if he wanted to succeed. When there was nothing left to chew in his mouth, he replied, voice as earnest as possible, “Thank you.”

Gamora’s smile seemed genuine. He continued, “The two of you didn’t achieve to break me, though. That was the Other.”

The smile vanished from Gamora’s face, while Nebula looked sour. Loki knew she had been punished for her failure in bringing him down, but he didn’t have any sympathy for her. The pain of another didn’t lessen the own, he had learned the hard way. 

“Do you know what he did?”, he questioned with forced gentleness. “He took my brother away from me. It’s true, I already saw him as an enemy, but as a brother at the same time. Without this connection, the last remainder of mental stability vanished. With all your methods, you would have never attained the same.” He paused, for show, before he spoke again. “Alas, I assume you know the feeling. For all I know, your own relationship was twisted to the breaking point.”

He revelled in the uneasy look they shared. His words had the desired effect.

“It was,” Gamora admitted soundlessly. 

“All the better you have overcome your differences,” Loki declared. “Due to my pride and Thor’s stubbornness, we spent years fighting and hurting each other. Sometimes, our bond is still on a knife-edge.”

Only then his words became completely honest. “I’m beyond grateful for this chance of reconciliation. He is all that matters to me, and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him again.”

His voice trailed off, and silence fell around them. After a long time, Nebula opened her mouth for the first time. “Why are you telling us?” She sounded unsettled, but suspicious nonetheless. 

_To make you see what you have to lose_, he thought. _So you may realise every obstacle is worth enduring if you get the opportunity to be with your sister, even if its name is Quill._

“I won’t absolve you,” he said. “But consider, in the greater scheme, the part you played was negligible.” 

It wasn’t even a lie, he came to discern. And he needed their bond to strengthen if he wanted to ensure Thor’s safety, so if it meant to discard hostility, he would to it. 

He left without another word, returning to the person his world turned around once again. And for the first time in his life, the thought wasn’t disgusting. Because he knew Thor felt the same way about him.

When he entered the chamber, he threw the apple at his reading brother, who barely accomplished to catch it. “Your snack.”

Thor eyed the bite in the red fruit puzzled, then frowned at Loki. “Where’s your own and why did you taste mine?”

“I only needed one bite,” Loki explained with a small smile. 

When Thor stepped out of the bathroom, he announced, “I’m angry with you.”

Loki glanced up. The snarky remark died in his throat as he realised his brother wasn’t joking. Thor wasn’t able to feign neither the fury in his eyes, nor the sparkles on his fingertips. 

“Why?” Loki asked dumbfounded. “What happened in there? By the time you left, you weren’t, were you?”

“I’m also angry with me,” his brother declared and sank down on the couch next to Loki, brooding.

The statement wasn’t exactly enlightening. “You speak in riddles, brother.”

“Asgard is gone.” 

Tensing up, Loki asked coldly, “And it occurred to you on the toilet I am to blame?”

“No,” Thor replied, fingers fidgeting while he tried to suppress his lightning. “But during your rule, you neglected the Nine Realms. I only suspected you were alive because they were thrown into turmoil. Then Ragnarok came, and after it Thanos. Asgard forgot about them. _I_ forgot about them.”

Fear gripped Loki’s heart. He knew what his brother would say next. 

“Asgard may not always have been the beacon of peace and hope I thought it was, and we,” he shot Loki a bitter glance, “for sure let Jotunheim down, but they are our responsibility, nevertheless. Not only you disregarded them, I did as well, when I hid on Midgard and wailed in self-pity.”

“You did,” Loki admitted, before he continued with a much gentler voice, “and then you stopped and fought. Thanks to you, the lost half of the Nine Realms has returned. You acted on your responsibility.”

Thor looked at him, and tears shone in his eyes. “How can you know that?”

Having a split second to come up with a decision, Loki gripped his brother's hand tightly and forced a smile on his face. He ignored the jolt of electricity. “Because I gather information. The realms are well. At least the inhabited. They are still cooperating with the aftermath of the culling and its undoing, like the rest of the universe. There is nothing you could offer them they require.”

The relief on Thor’s face stang, but not as bad as his words. “Thank you,” he uttered and buried his face in the crook of Loki’s neck. “It’s terrible I didn’t think about it sooner, and you did. You are marvellous.”

Loki sat there, petted Thor’s hair and felt more awful than ever before.

A little while after Thor had come down, they were still sitting on the couch, each reading a book. The door burst open. “Pirate Angel!”

“Drax?”, Thor asked, amused. Loki only huffed. He was still unsettled about the questions his brother had asked, and in no mood for company.

“There is a woman demanding for you to answer her call. She is quite intimidating.” Out of his mouth, it sounded like a compliment. 

Thor frowned. “I don’t expect a call. Did she voice her concern with me?”

Shrugging, Drax already went out. “She said your queen required your service. And you should bring your lackey as well.”

Thor’s face lit up. “Brother! It’s Val!”

“Great,” Loki said. “Now I have to fawn upon this drunk. Because you decided she would be a good leader.”

“She is,” Thor shouted excitedly. “Come on!”

He dragged Loki behind him to the bridge. Loki wondered briefly when Midgard had acquired the technology to reach a space ship billions of lightyears away. He guessed Rocket had something to do with it. 

The raccoon already was on the bridge upon their arrival. He stood on a luminous square, chatting casually with the hologram of the last Valkyrie.

“They’re here,” he said. “Nice talking to you. I get the morons on.”

She laughed, and he left the square. “Step on it. Then she can see you.”

Thor all but jumped on the panel, Loki followed more reluctantly. He wasn’t in the mood for holographic company, either.

“Your majesty,” he said stiffly. 

“What, no bow?” she mocked. He met her gaze with stony eyes. 

“I’m glad to hear from you,” Thor interjected. 

She cocked her eyebrow in response. “Did it occur to you to call me? I felt pretty dumb when Hulk came by and casually asked if Lackey’s in New Asgard. Imagine my surprise as he told me he wasn’t dead. I thought the fumes he works with meddled with his brain. He had to play the recordings of your visit for me to believe him.”

“I told you there were cameras,” Loki hissed.

Remorseful, Thor answered, “I’m sorry. I was too caught up in the joy over his return to even consider informing you.”

“Well done,” she snorted. “I guess you never had to report to anyone before.” She paused briefly, and something like sorrow crossed her features. “I was worried about you. The news…”

In this moment, Loki realised the danger. She knew. He did not know how, but she did. He acted on instinct, as Thor was still asking, “What news?”

Disturbing the Benatar’s signals would only buy him a few minutes, Loki knew. So while Thor watched confused how the hologram flickered and vanished, he created an illusion. He wasn’t sure if it would work. He had never tried over such a great distance.

When he tapped into the vision of his mirage, a cosy, but sparsely furnished room came into view. The Valkyrie was kneeling in front of a device, her back to him, scolding angrily, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Brunnhilde,” he called softly.

She jumped to her feet, hand reaching for her sword, only to realise she didn’t have it with her. “Loki?” she asked incredulously.

That she forgot to use his nickname in her surprise made him smile. “An illusion. Listen to me. You mustn’t tell Thor about the conspiracy against him.”

“What?” The fury he always associated with her was back. 

“I’m aware of the other realms scheming, as you are, obviously.” He waited for a confirmation.

The Valkyrie nodded. “I do. We caught a Vanir spy, looking for Thor. He took some convincing, but in the end he answered my questions. Would you do me the same courtesy?”

“So Vanaheim already fell," Loki breathed, shocked. He concentrated again. 

"I blocked the signals. When I allow the call to build up again, I need you to not tell Thor what you learned.” He all but pleaded now. “I stumbled over a few scouting groups as well. I know of the danger he’s in. And you know _him_. What would he do if you told him?”

She furrowed her brow. “Go to Alfheim,” she admitted grudgingly. 

“And what would happen to him there? They won't listen. Either they would kill him on sight, or he would have to kill many of them to fly, what would destroy him. I can’t allow either option.”

“So you’re planning on handling them on your own?”

“They have no idea I’m alive,” Loki explained. “I ask of you to not spread the news. It’s an invaluable advantage.”

“I don’t like it,” she said and crossed her arms. “Not one bit.”

He laughed bitterly. “Neither do I. I wished for us to start anew, without the burdens of the past. It seems I never get what I want.”

“This is too big for one single man to deal with,” she pointed out. 

“Maybe. But Asgard is defenceless at the moment. You won’t be able to meet their forces on eye level. So doing it alone could bring me into a position of advantage. If I manage to infiltrate their ranks, I might be able to turn them against each other. They allied against a common enemy, forgetting their own differences. It’s the only chance I see. Until now, they couldn't even confirm he's alive. We still have time.”

Her gaze was stern. “Brunnhilde, please,” Loki begged. “I have to protect him.”

It felt like an eternity until she nodded. “Very well. Keep me briefed. When the crunch comes, maybe you could use a deadly sword at your side.”

Relief flooded Loki. “Thank you. I will allow the connection to restore now.”

He dissolved the illusion in time to see the hologram building up again. “Must have been a meteor shower,” Rocket mumbled. “There she is.”

Thor smiled, having not noticed his brother’s absence of mind. Loki and the Valkyrie locked eyes for a moment. “I don’t have to tell you more, and there’s a meeting where I have to show up,” she said. “Just - take care. Maybe stop by if you feel like it. And Lackey - I’m glad you made it out.”

Clasping his brother’s shoulder affectionately, Thor answered. “Not nearly as much as I am,” he said, his bright smile directed at Loki.

“Nobody else would feel the same,” Brunnhilde grinned. “He’s an annoying pain in the ass.” 

“My best feature,” Loki gave back drily. He winked at her, causing her to roll her eyes. 

“Yeah, whatever. Don’t forget to call.” Then she separated the connection.

Two days later, a distress signal reached the ship. “Now you can finally see what we do,” Quill exclaimed excitedly. “Usually, it’s you who press us to go. That’s how we picked him up, by the way,” he continued and pointed over his shoulder at Thor. “Let’s hope this job doesn’t come with a similar downside.”

Gamora almost smiled. Thor was happy for Quill. She was still far from having friendly feelings for him, but they made slow progress.

“Did he even once thank us for all we did?” he murmured at his brother, who stood next to him, hands clasped behind his back. 

“Not to my recollection,” Loki answered slyly. “He seems to think reducing the insults is good enough. Maybe I correct him later.”

Thor stifled his laughter behind his hand. He felt lighter than in years. Not that long ago, he had deemed there was no way left for him, no chance to heal. Even Loki’s return had brought only short-lived improvement, at first. But with time passing by, he was more and more at ease. The mere presence of his brother gave him steadiness. The gift of trusting him fully again wasn't something Thor had thought possible, and yet Loki had done nothing to destroy that trust. To the contrary, he was there for his brother whenever Thor needed him. Wondering about what mischief he would inflict upon Quill, he wandered over to the solid chairs in the cockpit. 

The Benatar could move very swiftly when Quill wanted her to. He never did, for it was a “waste of fuel”, but impressing Gamora was enough to end his parsimony. After half an hour, they arrived in the atmosphere of a small planet. Rocket located the source of the signal in no time. “Just a few minutes,” he called over his shoulder. “Prepare.” 

All Thor did was leaning back. He wasn’t sure about fighting again, but the prospect of having his brother at his side soothed him. He looked over at Loki, who seemed to know his thoughts and nodded reassuringly. Thor smiled to himself. Once, it had been him who assured Loki. His brother had grown.

They didn’t need Rocket to tell them they arrived at their destination. Smoke and flames were visible from a long distance, and slowly Thor felt the familiar rush of battle take a hold on him. 

Rocket checked the display. “It seems there’s a village under attack, with an army surrounding them. The fights are scattered all over the place. And the attackers have something,” he stared at the monitor and frowned. “Well, I don’t know what it is. It’s big.”

Exchanging a gaze with his brother, Loki sighed and his eyes went blank. As far as Thor knew, he sent an illusion down to scout. It was an old strategy, which had proved its worth more than once. After a few seconds, he was back. “It’s a dragon.” Addressing Thor, he added, “Probably a species akin to the one you fought on Muspelheim.”

“How do you know about Muspelheim?” Thor asked, stunned. 

“Think, brother. I saw your memory.”

“So, here’s the plan. You two attend to the dragon,” Quill cut in. “The rest of us will take care of its owners. The safety of the villagers is our first priority.”

Thor was dumbstruck from the sincerity in his voice. He realised Quill wasn’t trying to impress Gamora, in this moment. He never before met a serious version of the earthling, but they never before actually worked together, admittedly.

Rocket opened the gateway. Thor clasped Loki’s waist, lifted Stormbreaker and they jumped. When they came closer to the surface, Loki’s voice resonated in his head, to drown the battle noise. “Over there.”

An image flashed inside Thor’s head, and he steered them to the right. Soon, he lost eye contact with the Benatar. He landed them on a hill, near the place where the smoke was thickest. And before they could confer with each other, they saw the dragon.

“Akin to the one on Muspelheim?” Thor screamed against its roaring. “It’s easily twice as big!”

“And I’m a Frost Giant half the usual size. Unfortunately, that makes me no less one of them.” Loki’s voice in his head sounded undignified. 

“Did you accidentally bring the Casket of Ancient Winters as well when you left Asgard? It would be handy!” Thor shouted back. He only needed to see his brother’s expression to get an answer. “What do you propose?”

He felt Loki’s tentativeness in his mind. “We should distract it from the village,” he finally said. “After that - maybe your trick with the Bifrost works a second time. Or you could try to roast it with lightning.”

_Not a bad idea_, Thor thought and summoned clouds overhead. Thankfully, they were on-planet. He had not yet managed without an atmosphere. The first lightning he sent the monster’s way was not one of his stronger, only intended to arouse attention. 

It worked. The dragon changed its direction and turned its head to them. It leapt, and suddenly it was right in front of them. When it breathed fire, they jumped to different sides. Thor worried briefly, he had never liked losing Loki during a battle, but he had to concentrate on the fight. He jumped again, throwing Stormbreaker at the beast. 

This dragon for sure had better reflexes than the last one. It yanked its head around, and one of the giant, opaque eyes stared directly at Thor. He summoned his axe back, and concentrated on gathering all the available energy around him. His training with Loki paid off, because he succeeded much faster than before. When Stormbreaker met his hand, he released the lightning, aiming at the monster’s eye. He burned it right away, but it made the dragon only angrier. Thor almost didn’t accomplish to dodge the fire this time. 

The loss of the beast’s eye had one perk: It couldn’t locate Thor as clearly as before. He harnessed the opportunity and pounced up, over the dragon’s head. He didn’t dare to land, for the being was _on fire_, but he sliced the side of its neck. When he landed on the other side of the head, he realised astonished the second eye was blinded, too. A set of maybe a dozen of daggers sticked out of the now useless organ. Loki must have had the same idea. 

His brother was nowhere to be seen, and Thor dismissed the thought of him. Loki was fully capable of looking after himself. He threw the axe again, and this time the beast wasn’t able to avoid it. Stormbreaker sank into its neck, where he already had left a cut.

It wasn’t enough to kill the monster, though. It dislodged the axe and spat fire again. Thor’s hair caught fire, and he had to use the dagger Loki insisted on he was wearing to cut it off. Before he could mourn the afresh loss, he became aware of another threat: There were soldiers drawing closer. He electrocuted the first two, when suddenly Loki was there, taking care of them. While he motioned to kill them, he urged Thor with a gesture to concentrate on the dragon, and Thor complied. Someone having his back felt good. 

The dragon was rampaging without direction, lost in its pain and fury. Thor took a moment to close his eyes and focus on the power running through his body. He sensed his own connection to it, its eagerness to follow his lead, and raised Stormbreaker. The biggest lightning he ever created stroke down onto the beast's head, and he directed it to the gaping wound on its neck. He needed all his strength to keep the energy flowing, from the sky through his body at his aim, and he was soon rewarded. The beast stumbled, cried in agony and eventually fell. 

Letting the lightning cease, Thor sank to his knees, panting. His vision blurred for a moment. When he managed to focus again, Loki was there, bending down to him, expression worried. “Are you alright?”

“Aye,” Thor confirmed. 

Loki smiled and pulled him to his feet. “Interesting choice of hairstyle.”

“Don’t talk about it,” Thor huffed. “Let’s look for the others."

After the defeat of the dragon, eliminating the attackers was a formality. Soon, the team gathered on the market place. Nebula and Rocket were off, engineering a transport to the next prison for the raiders who had surrendered. Quill took the thanks (and a reward, after all the Guardians couldn’t live by gratefulness only) from the mayor, now grinning at Gamora like an idiot. None of the Guardians was hurt, the only losses the half of Thor’s hair and a few burnt branches for Groot. 

They celebrated, back on the Benatar. Thor and Loki retreated to their chamber early, so they could attend to Thor’s hair. 

“I know you don’t want to hear it,” Loki said as they stood in front of the mirror, “but I’ll have to trim it even shorter and cut the other half as well.”

Thor sighed. “I see. It’s alright. We all made it out unharmed, that’s of capital importance.”

Despite his words, he only reluctantly sat down on one of their chairs. They were quiet as Loki worked, each dwelling on his own thoughts. Thor wondered why Loki had decided to do this with his hands, rather than using magic. Maybe it was for Thor’s sake. Or his brother had drained himself in battle. 

“How you’re doing?” he asked, breaking the silence. “I imagine a fight with fire is difficult for you.”

Loki didn’t answer at first, too preoccupied with looking critical at Thor. “I’m alright. I used a lot of my magic to keep me from burning up, but I will recover after a good night’s rest.”

He used the scissors on Thor’s right temple, glanced one last time and hummed approvingly. “Done.”

It had taken a lot of persuasion from Thor’s side, but in the end Loki had allowed him to keep the beard and only cut the hair. The view which was greeting him in the mirror was strange, the unruly beard accompanied by short shorn hair, but not completely unpleasant. “Thank you. I look like Uncle Agnar, though,” he called from the bathroom and heard Loki snort in response.

“Sure you do. He was bald, wasn’t he? Shall I help you complete the look?”

“I’m good,” Thor grinned, stepping back into the room. “No need to trouble you further.”

“I would be no problem at all,” Loki assured, wiggling his eyebrows wickedly. 

Thor tossed the hand mirror he held at him. “Don’t you dare.”

Turning the mirror into a ball before he caught it, Loki threatened, “I could do it while you’re asleep. It’s dangerous to rest next to the God of Mischief.” He threw the ball back, and they began to bandy it while Thor crossed the room.

“If I wake up bald, I will give you the same treatment,” Thor menaced. He laughed as Loki paled. The next time he caught the ball, there were needles attached to it. He yelped, and it was Loki’s turn to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bandying all kind of things is something my brother and I do regularly, and I love to include it into all my stories with siblings xD


	7. Black Wings

Playing silly Midgardian card games with Thor and Rocket became a habit Loki did not remember having agreed to, but although he complained every time, he didn’t really mind. He would never admit it, but he liked the raccoon. Thor’s taste in friends clearly had improved. 

This time, though, on the evening of the fight against the dragon, Gamora had joined them. “Nebula wants to have some time alone,” she explained when they showed up together. “It gets crowded, with time.”

Loki’s brow furrowed. “Did the two of you fight?”

If she was alienated by the question, she wouldn’t show. “No. She just suggested I spent the evening with you.”

Rocket laughed bitterly. “Initially, we wanted Groot to come, too. He refuses to be in the same room with her.”

While Thor explained the rules of poker to Gamora, Loki thought about the problem. Gamora and Nebula had bonded during the last weeks. They would stay together, probably. What didn’t mean they had to stay on the Benatar. 

Rocket and Nebula had developed a strong link when they had been the only Guardians alive, but when the going would get rough, Loki suspected the sisters would rather leave than arrange with the team. To prevent this, Gamora had to form stable relationships with the others.

With Quill things were easier than in the beginning, but still far from well. Loki knew Rocket spent many evenings reasoning with him, only he would become impatient over time. Well, more impatient.

Gamora and Rocket were on good terms, whereas not the best of friends yet, and to his knowledge the same applied to Drax and Mantis. Groot, on the other hand, behaved rudely towards her. He pitied the tree, to some extent. His situation wasn’t easy, and pubertal stubbornness didn’t help, as Loki knew from experience. 

In the middle of the game, he had an idea. As Rocket contently counted his win after a round, he said, “Lady Gamora. Do you wish to befriend Groot?”

Rocket startled, and Gamora seemed to think about the question thoroughly. “I might. It’s not possible, though. It’s hard to communicate with someone if you don’t even understand them.”

“I thought you understood that’s the core of the problem. Besides, you know, that she isn’t who he wants her to be,” Rocket added. 

Loki inclined his head. “I did. And it came to me - I can help with that. With your consent, allow me to give you the knowledge of his language.”

Thor gaped. “You can do that?”

Rocket wasn’t convinced. “What, did you have Groot as an elective, too? You Asgardians have too much time.”

Chuckling, Thor reckoned, “We do. The meaning never revealed to me, but the tutor declared it was about keeping the mind fresh. Our longevity allows learning skills we never thought we would use at any time.”

Ignoring the exchange, Loki kept his eyes on Gamora, who looked back warily. “How would it work?” she asked.

“I would plant the knowledge in your mind,” Loki replied, gaze not losing hers. “It’s a short process and you don’t have to do anything.”

Sulking, Thor complained, “There are so many occasions I can think of this ability could have proven useful in our youth. Do you recall the history exam I had to do five times until I passed? You knew all about the war on Svartalfheim. You could have shared!”

"You were lazy,” Loki accused him, focusing on his brother. “If you would have spent only half the time you needed to do the resits on learning for the first exam, you would have passed easily.”

“I couldn’t, I had to hunt the Bilgesnipe!” Thor exclaimed. “It was the first one near the palace in over a century!”

“Oh, poor Thor, can’t even last a century without slaying a Bilgesnipe! How will you do in the future, there are no Bilgesnipes anymore.”

“What, don’t tell me you don’t have one stored in your pocket? Very shortsighted of you, brother. You know I need my regular hunts. How will I entertain myself for the next millennia?”

“Maybe I could turn a pig into a Bilgesnipe for you,” Loki mocked. “Or something bigger. I wouldn’t want you to be bored with only me as company. I could never compete with a Bilgesnipe.”

“That’s not what I said, not at all! You never understood the importance of the hunt. I neglected my duty of teaching you. As a big brother, it had been my responsibility to school you, and I failed. I apologise.”

“Don’t get started. How many talks I had to endure, you ranting about the beauty of hunting, supported by Volstagg and Hogun!”

“Guys?” Rocket cut in. “That’s not really the point right now.”

Embarrassment coloured Loki’s cheeks. He got carried away in a way he only ever experienced with his brother. No one else was able to distract him so thoroughly from the task ahead. 

“I’m sorry,” Thor mumbled. “What do you think?”

He looked at Gamora expectantly, who compressed her lips. “Do it,” she simply said. 

Abruptly, Loki composed himself. He motioned for her to stand and stepped next to her. “I know this has to be hard for you, trusting me of all people to not hurt you. Try to relax.”

Thor offered, “I get him in a headlock if he’s misbehaving.”

“Not helpful, brother,” Loki spat, but Gamora laughed. She closed her eyes, breathed deeply and nodded. 

Loki lay one finger on her brow. He could do anything to her now, she was completely at his mercy. The temptation to mess with her was easy to withstand, to his surprise. Maybe he had grown, over the years. So he restrained himself to only do as he said. It took him a few seconds, then he retreated.

Gamora blinked. “It doesn’t feel different.”

“I am Groot,” Loki prompted. 

A smile crept on Gamora’s lips. “You’re right.”

“You speak with an accent,” the raccoon pointed out. 

“Rocket - don’t be ridiculous.” 

One day later, everything went to Hel.

The morning began like each other. Thor and Loki had breakfast in their chamber, and they enjoyed it thoroughly. They didn’t only get money from the village they saved the day before, but a selection of exotic fruits they never had seen as well. Thor had made it his business to try every single one and come up with names for them, and Loki joined in, to humour him. Not that he didn’t have a nice time. Thor became very creative, if he made an effort. 

They were interrupted by the speakers. “We arrived on Stazni. Have fun, but be back tonight, we start early in the evening.”

Rocket’s voice broke off. “Stazni,” Thor pondered. “What was that again?”

Loki shrugged, not very interested. “Nothing important. A agricultural planet. They want to trade goods, if I understood correctly.”

“Sound’s boring. Do you wish to stay behind?” Thor asked, eying his current book longingly. 

“No,” Loki said in honeyed tones. “I’d rather test my brother’s abilities.”

Thor groaned, but didn’t object. The regular sparring match after they finished sufficed to not completely frustrate him, even when the training itself left him annoyed. 

The training ground on Stazni wasn’t very occupied, and they had enough space to work the remnants of the battle off. Loki again wore his Jotunn skin as bait, even if it was highly unlikely a group of Alfheim had found its way to the backwater planet. 

After the practice, they each took their own path through the city. Loki processed his usual routine, which included going to the taverns and listening to the news. There was nothing interesting, and Loki had a little time left until he was supposed to meet his brother for lunch. He decided to take a shot at an old book store, which appearance seemed to fulfil his likings to semilegal shops.

When he stepped in, there wasn’t a shopkeeper to be seen, so he waved a few detecting spells. To his surprise, the result was positive. Loki forced his way through insecure stacked piles of books, until he found his hit. It was a very big tome, coated with dust. He had to clean the cover before he could decipher the title. It was an ancient history book, from Vanaheim. On Asgard it would have been valuable, in this part of the galaxy it was a treasure beyond comparison, at least for him.

Loki thought about simply leaving with this gem, when the shopkeeper finally arrived. They bargained for some time, but Stazni wasn’t a rich planet, and he paid a ridiculously low price. Loki all but felt sorry for his trading partner, but the man seemed pleased with deal. To him, the book had been worthless. 

While he hurried towards the Benatar, where he would meet Thor, he couldn’t resist peeking into the book. He read of battles he never had heard of, and his heart swelled with anticipation. Too preoccupied with his treasure, he didn’t notice any danger. Suddenly he was pushed, and all air left his lungs. He plunged to the ground, arms wrapping protectively around the tome. 

He couldn’t see his attacker, and had no time to think about _who_ was after him, when a sword met his thigh. He managed to roll off before something could be hurt fatally and stashed the book into one of his pockets. Before he could draw a dagger, the blade again dashed into his view and he had to put up a magical shield to save his neck. His magic objected, still strained from the effort of keeping him from burning with dragon fire, and when another sword appeared at his side, Loki thought he was done. 

Then he heard thunder. He allowed himself a small smile and kicked his foot into his opponents groin, gaining distance with the move. The enemy hissed, but didn’t falter, and Loki concluded he dealt with a female, or an alien whose genitals weren’t placed between the legs. Who knew. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make out the face for she wore a hood. 

He conjured daggers and blocked a few blows, still half-kneeling on the ground and unburdening his hurt leg. And suddenly, his enemy vanished right in front of his eyes, thrown off by a strong arm. 

Thor roared with fury. Lightning surrounded him, and with Stormbreaker risen, he made a fearsome image. 

The woman stood, slowly. She let her swords fall and ripped off her hood. “Thor,” she breathed, nearly too silent for Loki to hear. He recognised the face, though. 

Stormbreaker clattered to the ground, and the lightning ceased. “Sif.”

They met in the middle, Loki and the fight momentarily forgotten. Sif jumped and Thor caught her, and they embraced as if there was no tomorrow. She sobbed without an ounce of shame into Thor’s shoulder, who grinned like a madman. 

Just when the familiar old feeling of envy rushed over Loki, he began to comprehend the mess he was in. It wasn’t that she had attacked. She believed him dead, and to her he was just another Frost Giant. But he had banished her to Vanaheim, so she had to know what was going on. And she would tell Thor, uncovering his lies. Jotunn or not Jotunn, there was no way he would manage to persuade her like he did with Valkyrie. Sif was stubborn on her more generous days, and without any fondness for either his Jotunn or Aesir self. He was doomed, and there was nothing he could do about it. 

Sif leaned back when her eyes met Loki’s. “The Jotunn,” she spluttered. “Why did you hold me back?”

She began struggling, and Thor let her down, still clutching her shoulders, tears in his eyes. “I thought you dead,” he uttered. “How - this isn’t even possible, what’s the probability?”

“Thor, there’s a Jotunn! What is wrong with you?”

His brother turned his head, clearly confused, and Loki realised suddenly that he hadn’t even noticed what form Loki wore today. Thor didn’t mind. It was too much to swallow, and he changed to his Aesir skin.

“Lady Sif,” he greeted formally, crossing his arms behind his back, using a glamour to smooth the signs of the short fight away. “What a pleasure to see you alive and well.” The second time, he sounded sardonically, but he couldn’t bring himself to fawn her. 

“You are dead,” she informed him, her voice shaking. Her gaze flickered from him to Thor, perhaps unsure if she dreamt.

“I survived my death,” he corrected. “Then I returned to Asgard, stole the throne, banished the Allfather to Midgard, banned you to Vanaheim, freed Heimdall of his duties, tried to sell Thor and finally destroyed Asgard. Much better pastime than being dead, I assure you.”

Loki never had to guess why Sif disliked him from the start. It was something in her stupid, steady gaze that made him rile her up at all cost, and she never could withstand. Today was no exception, and Thor had to clasp her waist, lifting her off her feet again. She didn’t hesitate to kick and scratch him in return, screaming obscenities at Loki, finishing with, “I’ll kill you!”

“Unlikely, if I do it first,” Loki threatened, stepping closer and drawing a knife. “Hold her still, Thor!”

“Let it be, brother,” Thor snapped, still contesting with Sif. “You, too!” he shouted at her, before letting her down. “Enough.”

At this moment, Loki felt the urge to kill the warrior intrinsically, and he could see the same resolve in her eyes. All that kept them from going at each other’s throat was Thor, standing between them, turning his head fast enough to not lose eye contact with either for long.

It surprised Loki. True, they had always hated each other, but in battle he had trusted her with his life nevertheless, and vice versa. 

“What is he doing here?” Sif hissed. 

Thor frowned. “He wanted to go through the bookstores, didn’t you, brother?”

He couldn’t help himself, Loki had to chuckle. “She means what I’m doing at your side, dear brother. Why you didn’t eventually get rid of me.”

“You ought to,” Sif approved, but continued, “We shouldn’t talk in the open. I can’t believe you’re so reckless as to show your face without disguise. That’s not how a flight works. Even the weasel understands that. You were ridiculously easy to find.”

And with that, she had outed him. Loki knew, but Thor didn’t. Not yet. The relief would only last for several seconds, which felt like eternity to Loki.

“We’re not flying, Sif,” Thor rectified her. “We’re - I don’t know, I think we might call it sightseeing right now, what do you think, brother?”

“You could,” Loki answered, already numb.

Sif's eyes narrowed, and as she shoved Thor into a narrow alley, Loki followed without invitation.

“You don’t know,” Sif determined, bewildered. 

Thor had become nervous with her behaviour. “I don’t know _what_?”

Chewing on her bottom lip, Sif’s stare wandered to Loki, as if asking for help. He wondered. Did he miscalculate her anger? Would she be open for bargaining? He soon realised he didn’t misjudge her initial disgust. She was just ensuring he wouldn’t attack her. He had to admire her for her good assessment. 

“The Nine Realms are in uproar, Thor. Alfheim declared you an enemy of the realm and conspired with Jotunheim. They wanted Vanaheim to join them, and when the king refused, civil war broke loose. King Freyr is dead, and the usurper joined the complot. There are scouts all over the galaxy, searching for the Allfather. Searching for you. Planning to - get rid of you for good.”

For a few seconds, no one said a word. Thor’s back was turned to his brother, and Loki watched how his shoulders tensed when he realised Loki had lied. 

Slowly, Thor looked back. “Tell me she’s wrong,” he demanded quietly. “Tell me she’s lying, or mistaken, or anything.”

“She’s not,” Loki admitted bluntly. “I traced down four scouting groups so far, and they gave me similar information before I killed them. Brunnhilde confirms they caught a spy in New Asgard as well, with the assignment to find you.”

He watched as all colour left Thor’s face. “You told me the Nine Realms were well.”

“I did. I lied,” Loki gave back. “Brother-”

“Be quiet,” Thor said. 

“I could silence him forever,” Sif proposed smugly. The numbness in Loki’s heart was replaced with hot burning fury. 

“Shut your foul mouth,” he spat. “You would be dead, wasn’t it for me. I decided to let you live, when a more just man would have sentenced you to die. I showed you mercy, and you dare to stand before me and insult me and mock me-”

_And take my brother from me,_ he added inwardly, when he saw the expression in Thor’s face change. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Thor interrogated, accusingly.

“To save your life. You would’ve walked right in there, smiling stupidly, and they would have slaughtered you.”

“So you decided to lie to me? To make Val lie to me?” Thor nearly pleaded for his brother to contradict him. Loki could see the clouds darkening. 

“I am the god of lies after all, am I not?” he answered numbly. “Why are you so surprised.”

Thor laughed, harsh and bitter. “Honestly, I don’t know. I trusted you like the fool I am. A mistake I shall never repeat.”

Why did it hurt so much? They had been there, at this exact spot, time and again. “I intended to protect you from yourself,” Loki defended himself. It sounded weak, even to his own ears.

Now Thor’s ire truly woke. “What do you know about protection?” he screamed. “_I_ am the Allfather, the Protector of the Nine Realms! Their wellbeing is my responsibility, no matter if I am king or not! You decided to lead me astray, and I let you! Now Vanaheim paid the price! _Freyr_ paid the price! He was family, and you don’t even care!” 

Loki had no answer for him, because he spoke the truth. “I don’t,” he admitted. 

Lightning crawled over Thor’s body, and Stormbreaker trembled with energy. Sif retreated, a mixture of awe and anticipation on her face. Loki didn’t falter. If this betrayal was finally enough for Thor to slay him, he wouldn’t show fear. 

The killing stroke never came. Thor directed his not glowing right eye at his brother. “Leave my sight immediately, before I lose control. You will never be able to truly stand by my side. I thought I could live with the uncertainty. I was mistaken. I’m tired of this game, so I stop playing.”

Swallowing, Loki nodded. “Coming back was a mistake.”

“It was.”

“I see.” There was no rage in Loki, not even hurt. Deep down, he had always known it would end this way. In this moment, he felt it was their destiny, longing for each other’s trust and support, without being truly able to receive or give it. 

Nevertheless, it took all of Loki’s strength to avert his eyes and lift his gaze to the dark sky. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had already turned into a magpie. Welcoming the familiar feeling of the wind under his wings, he spiralled up, away from the ground, leaving his heart behind. He didn’t have to look down to know the dazzlingly white lightning bolt which illuminated the air around him burned the soil where he had stood only moments before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, it was a very hard chapter and I wasn't quite happy with it for a long time ^^ Hope you enjoyed!


	8. Threads

Loki watched the Benatar take off in the skin of the shopkeeper he had purchased the Vanir tome from. A part of him hadn’t expected them to leave without him, but he knew they had only accepted him for Thor’s sake. Without his brother, he meant nothing to them. When he couldn’t see the ship anymore, he turned back to his Aesir skin. It felt wrong, but everything did with his brother gone. 

He searched for a calm tavern and chose the darkest corner to sit down. Without anything else to do, he materialised the tome and skimmed through its pages. The words didn’t reach his mind. All he could think about was a newer edition of the book, written in the near future, depicting a battle of independence and an alliance of realms which had hated each other for thousands of years. It would culminate in the execution of the last of the Asgardian conquerors, and they would sing heroic tales about their great victory.

Flipping the book shut, he signalled the waitress to come over. Loki ordered a bottle of the strongest liquor she offered, and after he had drowned it a follow-up. With time, his thoughts slowed, but the alcohol did nothing to soothe the gnawing feelings in his chest. He had failed. Were he sober, he would be surprised he still wasn’t used to it. His title should be God of Failure, considering what he had achieved in his life. 

Bedding his head on his arms, he leaned over the tabletop and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep desperately, to escape his life for a few valuable hours. But before he drifted away, he remembered. 

_When he first stepped on the Statesman, Loki wasn’t enthusiastic. Admittedly, it was a big ship and would be sufficient to leave Sakaar. But it was sordid and ugly as well. It would be hard to impress anybody with this carrier. While his newfound crew readied the engines, he stood there, gazing out of the window, lost in his thoughts. When someone tipped on his shoulder, he startled and spun around. _

_The Kronan. “Hey there, leader-man! We are ready for you to lead. Kick off the leadership, yeah?”_

_Loki stared at him in disbelief. “What?”_

_The creature cocked his head. A tiny pebble crumbled to the floor. “It’s me, Korg. You told me you lead us out of here, didn't you?”_

_“Ah,” Loki answered, rubbing his brow with both hands. “Of course. Let me think for a moment.” _

_He tried to imagine a course. The universe lay at his feet, but all he could think about was Asgard. It was the only home he ever knew, and it was out of his reach. He wasn’t a dreamer like Thor. He knew there was no way he would be able to beat Hela, not even with an army. Less with this bunch of former gladiators at his command. _

_Thor was a fool for trying. He would die as soon as he confronted her. Goddess of Death, the name said it all. _

_The thought of his foolish, heroic brother wouldn’t leave his mind. He was angry at himself. Why did he care? Thor had left him behind, not caring if he was found by the Grandmaster’s henchmen or at all. He hated Thor for the choice of parting words. He could be more? He already was more, much more than Thor saw._

_Was he? Did he outgrow his past? Was he able to turn his back on Asgard?_

_To turn his back on Thor, for good?_

_He imagined Frigga’s face in this moment, shaking her head at him, and cursed. No matter if they stood on the same or opposite sides, without his brother Loki’s life was empty. Seized kingdoms and fallen enemies meant nothing if he couldn’t hurt Thor or receive his awe. The few years spent as Odin had felt longer than a century. There was no other person in the universe whose opinion Loki cared for._

_If Thor decided to jump to his early grave, Loki could as well come to his rescue. Or join him. Spending eternity with screaming “I told you so!” at his brother? There were worse fortunes to pursue._

_“Korg?” he asked. The Kronan eyed him expectantly. “We take the big one.”_

Loki lost consciousness, but he had made his decision.

“Thor, we have to talk.” 

“I don’t think so, rabbit.”

“Oh, really?” Rocket crossed his arms in front of his chest. “A few hours ago, you and your brother were best friends. Now you’re coming back without him, and your also-lean-dark-and-scary friend out there says you sent him packing. I think you owe me an explanation.” 

Thor averted his eyes. “I have nothing to tell.”

“I disagree.” Rocket sat down on one of the chairs, clearly ignoring Thor’s subliminal message of wishing to be left alone. Why else would he retreat to his chamber without a word?

“Rabbit, I’m serious. It’s over, and I don’t want to talk about it. Forget you ever met him. He already has, rest assured.”

The raccoon eyed him long and thoughtfully, before he nodded. “Don’t think for one second you won,” he said, but left. At the door frame he met Sif, gave her a leery look and was away. For a few moments, Sif gazed after him. Then she stepped into the room and locked the door behind her. 

“You have strange new friends, Thor.” She stopped and looked around. Her lips trembled as she took in their surroundings. “How’s that even possible?” she asked. 

Leaning against the backrest, Thor sighed. “I don’t know. It’s - his work. I didn’t ask.”

Warily, Sif took a seat in Rocket’s chair. “Thor, I don’t understand anything that has happened since you took him and Jane to Svartalfheim.”

Thor swallowed. “I thought he had died there. He hadn’t. He came back, I don’t know how, and sent Father to Midgard. He ruled in Odin’s place. It took me four years to figure it out.”

“No surprise,” she muttered bitterly. “You weren’t home.”

“I couldn’t bear it,” he admitted soundlessly. “Asgard without Mother. Without him. The loss was too dire. At least I thought so. I had no idea what more I had to lose, then.” 

And he told her everything, rupturing the barely healed scar on his heart. When his tale revealed the fate of the Warriors Three, she started crying. 

“What about you?” he finally asked. 

“Odin - no, I suppose actually it was Loki - banished me from Asgard. I went to Vanaheim, to my grandmother’s family. I died in the culling and came back five years later. It wasn’t until then that I heard about Asgard’s destruction. Before, I only knew there was something wrong. I heard only rumours about what had happened, and when lore reached the palace about the conspiracy against you, I decided to search for you. I took me some time before my way crossed that of a Ravager ship and I… persuaded the captain to assist me. Then I arrived here and found you.”

Again, tears welled up in her eyes. “I hoped to find the Warriors Three at your side, not the traitor.”

“Sif - I don’t know what to do. I have to assure the realms I won’t raise a claim to any of them. I have to go to Alfheim and speak to the queen.”

“No!” 

Her outburst surprised him. “No?”

“No,” she asserted firmly. “I loathe admitting it, but Loki was right with one thing - this is a fight you cannot win. They’ll kill you. You have to stay away from the Nine.”

“Run away and hide,” Thor gasped out. “I had enough of that.” 

Sif’s eyes hardened. “You have to accept the world has changed. Asgard is no more.”

“Asgard is a people, not a place,” Thor argued. 

“To Hel with it,” Sif screamed. “Our people are dead! The few who survived Ragnarok have no importance on a grand scale. Wake up, Thor! The great kingdom of our youth is perished, and what’s left are only a few tired warriors, women and children. You may be the Allfather, but the title lost its meaning. They aren’t even sure you’re still alive. A few decades, give or take, and they lose interest in chasing you. They’ll start wars against each other, and you’re safe.”

Thor felt tired. “I think about it.” He ignored her pinched mouth. “I can’t give you more. I’m exhausted.”

She nodded, stiffly. “Is there a place for me to sleep?”

Pointing over to the bed, Thor explained, “The ship’s already overcrowded. You have to stay with me.”

Despite his weariness, it took Thor a long time before he fell asleep. Sif’s deep breaths, interrupted by short snores, differed strongly from Loki’s soft breathing. When he finally slept, nightmares haunted his rest, and there was no one to soothe them. He dreamt of his brother’s cold, dead eyes, staring sightlessly at him, and woke with a silent cry. For a second, his longing for Loki was barely bearable. By instinct he fumbled around, searching for his brother’s hand with its comforting pulse, but there was only Sif sleeping peacefully next to him.

“You have to stop bringing people to my ship,” Quill declared when they assembled after breakfast. 

Sif cocked an eyebrow. “As long as he removes the predecessor instead, I don’t see the problem.”

Drax snorted amused, but Quill’s brow furrowed. “I still don’t get why he’s gone and please don’t explain to me, I’m not overly sad. I’m just saying this has to stop.”

“I promise she’s the last,” Thor assured without batting an eyelid. It wasn’t a promise hard to keep, Sif was the last of his friends still alive. 

Thor spent the day with Sif in his quarters, talking. They spoke about their memories of the past, and drank in honour of the fallen. He was very glad to have her back. When evening came, Sif pointed at plant tubs in the corner of the room. “You have to water your plants.”

Following her finger, Thor sighed. The flowers had started to wither. “I did. It’s not the water, it’s the lack of light. Loki… cast sunlight every evening. They’ll die without it.” 

“Oh.”

He was still staring at the nordstjerners, mourning their fate and simultaneously feeling guilty for it, _so many people had died, and he grieved for plants?_, when she continued, “Do you hate him?”

“Whom?” he asked, roused from his thoughts.

Sif’s lips curled slightly. “Loki.”

“I don’t want to talk about him.”

“Please, answer the question.”

Inwardly, Thor groaned. Why did they have to ask, all of them, Rocket and Quill and Sif? He didn’t want to talk about Loki. He didn’t want to even think about him. It had been his loss which had caused Thor’s decrease, and only after Loki’s return he had started to truly look forward. He was afraid that dwelling on the fact that he had lost his brother for good - _again_ \- would shatter all progress. He hoped his answer would silence Sif.

“No,” he said simply, eyeing her provocatively. 

She only nodded. “I thought so.”

Thor went to the kitchen and got them more liquor. To his relief, Sif allowed the topic to rest.

The next days went by in a haze, mainly because Thor truly was in a haze. At first, Sif laughed about his drunken self, later she merely furrowed her brow. He didn’t mind. The whole point in drinking without cease was to prevent thinking, and it worked perfectly. 

One morning though, or more precisely at noon, he couldn’t find replenishment anywhere. Confused, he went back to his room. If he was lucky, there would be enough leftovers to last until he could refill the storage. 

As he reached the door, he heard voices. His curiosity only sparked when he overheard his name. With a shrug, he lay his ear against the door. After all, it was his room.

“Thor’ll be back soon,” he heard Sif’s tense voice. 

Rocket answered. “And? Every drop of alcohol on the ship is blighted. He has no chance but to get sober.”

“Why can’t we let him drink? He’s not a toddler.”

The raccoon sniffed. “I gave him one week, that's enough. You weren’t here, after the snap. If we let him continue, we begin anew in five years. Forget it.”

Sif said something Thor didn’t get, because he huffed in annoyance. He had lived for fifteen centuries, why wasn’t that sufficient to let him make his own decisions?

“Of course he will be grumpy today, I recommend to avoid him. Tomorrow, I will talk to him.”

Thor had heard enough. He opened the door, gave them his most accusing look and went to bed without acknowledging their existence further. They left the chamber shortly after, and Thor went back to sleep.

Neither did Sif put in an appearance during the day, nor did she take her sleeping spot at night. A while after midnight Thor couldn’t lie anymore. He had a headache, but his mind was unsettlingly clear. Before he could have an anxiety attack, he rolled out of bed. Out of a lack of other options, he went to the kitchen. Maybe his so-called friends had overlooked something as they cleaned up? One could hope. 

To his surprise, there were still lights on in the kitchen. Gamora and Nebula sat at the table, so heavily preoccupied with an unfamiliar board game Thor had to clear his throat for them to look up. 

“Do you have anything alcoholic?” he asked with a raspy voice.

“Sorry,” Gamora smiled. “Rocket demanded we poured everything away. He was very thoroughly.”

Thor cursed, swearwords that would have made his Mother very angry if she had heard them, and sat down. If he went back to his chamber right now, he would go crazy. 

The sisters exchanged a look, then Gamora shoved a plate with fruits in his directions. “When was the last time you ate something non-liquid?” 

Shrugging, he took a slice of something apple-like. He had no appetite, but bit off out of habit. It was much too sweet.

“Why are you still up?” he questioned, bored.

Nebula’s lips curled in disgust. “Sif snores.”

“Oh,” Thor said wondering. “So she’s in your room? I apologise, though I didn’t tell her to sleep somewhere else.”

“It’s alright, we weren’t tired,” Gamora reassured, gazing at her sister pointedly. “How are you, Thor?”

“Well,” he hastened to assert.

“Really?” Nebula wondered. “You started drinking again. Last time it happened you weren’t well.”

She rolled her eyes when Gamora elbowed her. “Forgive my sister's manners,” the Zehoberei hissed.

“What is wrong with my manners?” Nebula exclaimed. “I’m tired of people always talking around things, instead of speaking their mind. It’s exhausting and pointless.”

“It’s called politeness,” Gamora answered through gritted teeth.

Thor watched them looking daggers at each other and remembered similar discussions from his past. He cleared his throat, feeling unsettled. “It’s alright. She’s not wrong.”

Nebula grinned smugly at her sister, who sticked out her tongue in return before she focused on Thor again. “What happened?” she asked softly. 

Sighing, he shook his head. “Sadly, nothing out of the ordinary. Loki just proved to me once more he cannot be trusted. And I’m afraid I am not well enough to be able to handle the uncertainty any longer. It’s better for me if I keep my distance.”

“And you drink so you can’t second-guess this decision,” Nebula uttered what he didn’t. “Not very smart.”

Too tired to get angry, Thor smiled. “Maybe. It’s of no importance, he’s gone.”

For a few minutes, the sisters were silent. Several times, Gamora opened her mouth, only to close it again. Eventually, he grew unnerved. “Speak, if you have to say something.”

“It’s just… The two of you are the only reason I contemplated speaking to my sister again,” Gamora declared. “I thought, if they could do it, after all the betrayal and hatred, it’s not too late for me to try the same. And now that you failed to repair your relationship... ” 

“Our failure says nothing about the two of you,” Thor interrupted her. “I’m sure you will be able to succeed where we didn’t. I doubt your relationship was ever as twisted as ours.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Gamora added for consideration. “Do you know why half of Nebula’s body has been replaced? Because _he_ made us fight each other, again and again, and everytime she lost he _improved_ her. And I didn’t even consider having mercy on her, I was too eager for victory to care about her, although I knew how much pain she had to endure.” She hesitated and turned her head to look at her sister, who listened with eyes wide open. “Did I ever apologise to you?”

“Yes,” Nebula rasped. “Well, the other you did, when Quill’s psycho dad tried to murder us. The you-you… didn’t. And you don’t have to. It wasn’t your fault.”

Gamora took her hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”

Thor forced a smile. “See? You do great without our example.”

Nebula stared at him with her uncanny eyes. “I can’t believe you’re giving up on him. He didn’t, you know? He never did. Once, I had him on his knees. He was barely able to hold up after what I put him through. And he faced me, calm and certain, and said his brother would come and tear me apart. Whatever I did to him after, he didn’t waver, still telling me how horrible your revenge would be. I lost it eventually, screaming at him that nobody would come to his rescue, that you left him to die at my hands, and he laughed in my face, telling me you wouldn’t let anyone end his life, except you’d do it yourself. I beat him senseless, which wasn’t the assignment.” 

She paused, ignoring Thor’s horrified panting, and touched her head absentmindedly. “I received a configuration change as punishment. After, his torture wasn’t my responsibility anymore, although they had the needed information about how to break him, his - how did they call it?” she asked her sister.

“Thread,” Gamora prompted, eying him nervously. 

“Ah, yes, thank you,” Nebula said, completely unfazed by the sparks dancing over Thor’s fingers. “Thread. That’s how the Other called the one thing which had to be destroyed in order to break a subject. You were Loki’s thread. So the Other twisted all of his memories of you, and he did what Thanos wanted him to. Maybe even wanted it himself.”

A wave of nausea hit Thor, and only his empty stomach saved him from throwing up. Gamora watched him worriedly, but Nebula wasn’t done. 

“And when you two met again, you fought, and then you imprisoned him, right? That’s the story Tony told me. Do you think it helped him?”

“What my sister wants to say,” Gamora cut in, “is that despite your best intentions, you did more damage than good.”

The room started to slowly spin around Thor. It felt surreal, talking with them about his brother, hearing them explaining the state of Loki’s mind to him, and he only wanted it to stop. 

“What is your point?” he gasped out. 

“Isn’t that obvious?” Nebula asked impatiently. “Get over yourself. I don’t know what exactly he did to enrage you, but think about if your hurt feelings are worth the consequences.” 

“We didn’t mean to interfere with matters which are not our concern,” Gamora added swiftly.

Despite everything, Thor found a small smile tugging at his lips. “Then why did you?”

Again, the sisters shared a look, exchanging messages he couldn’t decipher. “Because we owe him,” Gamora said simply. “Without his help, we wouldn’t have found each other again.” 

“Now go,” Nebula snapped, maybe embarrassed, and pointed at the forgotten board game. “I want to get the better of my sister for once.” 

“In your dreams,” Gamora gave back smugly. 

Thor stood and left them alone without another word. 

Back in his chamber, he sat down on the couch, stared into the dark and thought about what he had learned about his brother. For the last week, he had forbidden himself to think about Loki as a brother, and now he realised it didn’t matter what he told himself. He remembered the day as Mother had sat down with him and finally opened up about Loki’s true heritage. It had been a few weeks before Heimdall had spotted Loki on Midgard and told them he was alive, and he could still see the worry in Mother’s eyes when she had asked, “You know that despite everything he was truly your brother?” 

“Of course,” he had said, numbed by the new information. It hadn’t been easy to swallow, and he had been angry at his parents for a while, because if they had told them, things would have happened differently. Now he considered the opposite. He doubted the hot-tempered prince he had been before his banishment was able to deal with everything. Putting himself in Loki’s shoes, he understood his brother better. Thor had been unstable during the last months, or rather years, and like Mother Loki probably questioned his ability to deal with unsettling news. 

“Oh Mother,” he said quietly, petting a nordsjerner petal which crumbled under his touch. “Despite your wisdom, you raised two fools. I hope it’s not too late to correct some decisions they made lately.”

He was still angry at Loki for lying to him. But he had realised it didn’t matter in the big picture. They had to talk about it, but he couldn’t give up on his brother. 

Despite sleeping all day, he went over to the bed and lay down, and a plan started to take shape in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time an early upload, yeah^^ Not the most exciting chapter, but not unimportant, hope you enjoyed!


	9. A Queen's Scheming

Although he woke up in an alley behind the tavern he had drunk in with a hangover, Loki didn’t question the decision he made the night before. He put on a glamour to hide his pale face and went back inside, ignoring the surprised look he got from the bartender who had kicked him out only three hours ago. After ordering a light breakfast to not overexert his stomach, he started planning. 

Thor knowing about the conspiracy against him made it a problem Loki had to take care of as soon as possible. He trusted in Sif’s strong will to keep Thor in check for a time. She wasn’t dumb enough to follow him to Alfheim without backup, not anymore. But it wouldn’t last. 

Without powerful allies, the only possibility to smash the alliance on his own would be to go undercover. If only he knew more about the Jotnar. Going to Alfheim, he would meet some of them, and they would have questions. If he wanted to succeed, he would need good answers.

“Good morning,” he wished, and Brunnhilde’s foot got caught in a trousers leg she was about to step in. She fell to the ground and rolled around until she managed to throw off the garment. 

He laughed. “You look like a beetle.”

She cursed extensively, and he listened interestedly. She used words he didn’t even know. When she finally stood again, she looked up to his face and hissed, “I strangle you.”

Loki frowned. “You realise this is merely an illusion?”

“Aye,” she shot back. “I can wait.”

Looking down to her legs sticking out under her tunic, he cleared his throat. “I wish to discuss some matters of importance with you. Maybe you want to dress properly first?”

She looked down and swore again. “I’m your queen,” she said dully, fishing her trousers. “I should have your head.”

Slowly, Loki grew impatient. “Do whatever you want, but there are more pressing matters now. As I already told you.”

“Yessss,” she sighed, buckling her sword. “Spit it out!”

“Thor knows about the complot.”

Brunnhilde seemed surprised. “Oh. That’s a severe complication. How did he learn? What’s he planning now?”

“He met an old friend, who lived in Vanaheim for a few years. Sif.”

Recognition shone in Brunnhilde’s eyes. “I heard of her. And? What is he up to?”

Loki swallowed. “I don’t know. He wasn’t… too happy to hear I lied to him.”

Cocking her head, she asked, “Means?”

“He told me yesterday to leave his sight before he electrocutes me.”

“Really?” she wondered. “He seemed so happy to have you back. I don’t know how many times I have dragged him to his house, when he had drunkenly wandered off, and he has always babbled about you.”

“It’s not important,” Loki snapped. “Important is only that I have to hurry now to end this. I believe Sif will hold him back for a few days, not more. Time’s running out.”

He could see she wasn’t done with him, but the seasoned warrior in her gained the upper hand. “Fine. What’s the plan and how can I help you?”

“Actually, I’m not sure you can,” Loki admitted. “As I told you, the only way to win this is from the inside. I will search for a scouting group and insist they bring Jotunn-me to Alfheim.”

“I can smell a hitch.”

“The hitch is I’m a Jotunn by birth, not by living. I have to come up with a past and a convincing story about why I join this crusade, one that withstands the doubts of real Jotnar. You are the only person I could think of who hopefully can illuminate their ways to me.”

“I’m not an expert, Lackey,” Brunnhilde groaned. “I was a few times on Jotunheim, a very long time ago, and never to study their way of life.”

Now it was Loki’s turn to curse, and he did, resourcefully. “Then the plan will fail.”

To his amazement, she shook her head, somewhat doubtful. “Not necessarily. You can look like everyone you want to, right?”

“Aye,” he replied, not able to follow her reasoning. 

“Then you can infiltrate their ranks not only as a confederate Jotunn. Go find your scouts, and then take the place of one of them. When you’re on Alfheim, you change again, until you’re in a position to act. Can you do that?”

For a few minutes, there was silence. Thoughts raced through Loki’s head. “I should be able to do it,” he whispered finally. “I’ve been on Alfheim, in the past. They have mages who will undoubtedly examine me, but I have always been able to deceive them. It should be possible.”

He stared at her with wide eyes. “You’re brilliant. I wish I could kiss you right now.”

“If you did, I would strangle you,” she purred, without making him believe for one moment it wasn’t a real threat.

He smiled. “I keep it in mind. You are very wise.”

“I’m queen, ain’t I? I’m supposed to be wise.”

In this moment, he could see her become a queen worth the admiration the last queen of Asgard had received. “She would have liked you,” he blurted out without thinking. He blushed heavily and barely managed to not transfer it to his double. 

Brunnhilde furrowed her brow. “Who?”

“The late queen,” he explained quietly. “Mother.”

“Oh,” she said, all appearance of wisdom briefly gone. “I guess that’s quite a compliment out of your mouth.”

“It is,” he admitted grumpily. 

“So, where do I come in?”

“Excuse me?” he asked baffled.

“I told you I would support you with my sword. You didn’t think you could do this without me?”

“You’re on Midgard! Do you think I can say to the scouts, ‘Hey, what about a short trip to Midgard, let’s take the Asgardian queen with us?’”

Rolling her eyes, Brunnhilde claimed, “You could fetch me when you’re already on Alfheim. You know the secret pathways between the realms.”

She was right, of course. Still he wouldn’t take her with him. “What makes you believe I do?”

“Please! Thor told me enough about you to fill a library with all the stories. Sometimes, I even listened. And as a queen, I can order you.”

Loki ignored the urge to ask, _what did he tell you? When, and why?_ Instead he said, “As a queen, your task is to protect all of Asgard, not one man. You cannot abandon them because you miss the fighting.”

Of course she didn’t take the bait and remained calm. “All of Asgard includes you and Thor, like it or not. New Asgard is safe without me hovering here. So take it as an order. I’m coming.”

“Hel you do,” Loki murmured. 

To his misfortune, she had heard him. “I demand it. Listen, Lackey. I’m older than both of you, and I know what comes next if you screw this up. Do you truly believe they’ll stop after they got rid of Thor? Their next target will be New Asgard, maybe they’ll try to conquer Midgard on their way. This is too big for only you.”

Disagreeing, Loki shook his head. “I won’t fail.” _Not this time_, he added inwardly. “And you can’t force me to do anything.”

She had the audacity to laugh at him. “One call to the Benatar, and Thor with his big shiny axe gives me a ride. I’m sure we would be on Alfheim before you’re done cursing at me.”

“You wouldn’t,” Loki all but pleaded with a paling face. “You would send him to his death!”

“Maybe, maybe not,” she said, and all humour had left her face. “He’s a capable warrior and should be able to kill them all. I have to think about the whole of Asgard, as you reminded me kindly.”

“You can’t force him to slaughter them,” Loki exclaimed. “It would break him! He still thinks of them as misguided friends!”

“Your fault, I’d say,” Brunnhilde interrupted him mercilessly. “With you as a brother, he thinks anybody is his friend, if they try to kill him or not.”

“Please,” he requested weakly.

“You know what you have to do.”

“Alright. I will fetch you,” he acknowledged defeat.

“Do not think you can betray me,” Brunnhilde said in earnest. “I require of you to report regularly. If I suspect you lie about anything, even the weather, I call your brother.”

In his eyes, she had lost all resemblance to Frigga. “Now you remind me of Odin,” he told her soundlessly. 

Her face hardened. “Do not compare me to him.” 

“Do not act like him,” he gasped out bitterly. “I will speak to you in the evening.”

With that, he let the double dissolve. Suddenly, his breakfast tasted like dust, and he shoved the plate away. Doubtlessly, he had underestimated her ruthlessness. But if he was honest with himself, he knew she was right. It wasn’t tradition for the king of Asgard to rule without smirching his hands, and she was no exception.

Logic demanded her decision. She couldn’t allow one or two of her suspects to handle an inter-realm crisis on their own, the risk was too high. If he was in her place, he would make the same threats. But, as the Norns are his witnesses… if her actions would hurt Thor, _Loki_ would strangle _her_.

It took him nearly the whole day to find himself a passage to Hjgloret, the nearest economic hub in this part of the galaxy. Acquiring the money almost had been fun, what couldn’t be said about the ride. He was stuffed into a narrow cargo bay, together with several other, mostly shady passengers. 

After waving a spell to protect him from any harm, be it pickpocketing or an attempt at his life, Loki retreated to his own mind. He had to think. The plan he and the Valkyrie had pieced together was promising, but had its gaps. For example, it depended on the mission the scouting group he found had. He could approach them in his Jotunn form, but one single warrior wouldn’t demand an immediate return to Alfheim. Aside from the fact that it wasn’t convenient for him to make them escort him back, if he wanted to take one elf’s place.

He was still considering his options when the ship landed, and made his way out with a few ideas. 

His first task was to actually find some Light Elves. Loki pursued his tactic of visiting taverns and dark drinking holes, keeping his ears open for rumours. Indeed, he found a bar keeper telling him he had just missed one squad from Alfheim who had asked for information about a man with lightning at his command. He heard they had required a route with the best jumping points to Faerlla, another intergalactic junction, and decided to follow them. He rewarded the landlord with some units and took off to the space port, where he bargained with a trader who wasn’t keen on transporting people instead of goods, but was persuaded with a disgraceful amount of units. 

After another unpleasant, sleepless ride in a cargo hold, Loki arrived at Faerlla at noon of the next day. He decided to rent a room to sleep for a few hours and resume his search in the evening. If everything went according to plan, he would meet his targets then, and it would be better to be well rested. 

At dusk, he left the inn and shifted to his Jotunn shape. Already his second try was successful. As soon as he stepped into the dim tavern, he saw them. To his eyes, they looked just like all the other groups he met until then. He breathed deeply and concentrated. It was vital to pay attention to every detail he could make out. 

Casually, he made his way through the room, only to pause abruptly when he ‘spotted’ them. They paused their conversation and stared at him expectantly. He swallowed conspicuously and drew closer. “You are Light Elves,” he rasped out. “Of Alfheim.”

The way the all immediately looked at the one Light Elf to his right told him this was the leader. Perfect.

“Greetings, friend,” the leader said with a warm smile. “Come, join us.”

After another quick examination he had spotted the second elf he needed for his plan to succeed, a young, eager and inexperienced warrior. In a display of strong feelings, he grimaced and roared. It wasn’t hard to fake the wrath in his face. “I am not your friend! The Light Elves have killed my father!”

Drawing the big sword at his side, he leapt at his enemies. The elves stared at him for a long moment, mortally scared, before they followed his example and reached for their weapons. 

He took his time in killing them, pretending to brandish his sword clumsily. He made sure to just hurt the youngling he had identified before and let the leader unharmed. He would need them, later. 

The fight didn’t remain unnoticed, and soon all sorts of crooks had joined in, intending to rob whoever died. Loki disappeared in the middle of the crowd and cast an illusion of his dead body on the floor. Then he took the shape of a terrified young maiden and fled the tavern screaming, only to hide in the entrance of a nearby dark alley.

The surviving Light Elves left not long after him, the leader supporting the weight of the limping youngling. They hurried away as fast as possible, but it was easy for Loki to follow them, unseen to their darting eyes. 

After a few minutes, they reached the port and headed for their ship. Just when the leader cast a last glance over his shoulder, Loki turned into a mosquito and was inside before the door had closed. He kept perfectly still, but the elf concentrated fully on his young companion, who braced himself against the wall. Tears streamed over his cheeks.

“Where did he stab you? Ganri! Listen to me. Show me your injury.”

Ganri sobbed, “What happened? I… I don’t…”

“Breathe,” the other elf said, exerting a soothing voice. “Slowly. You have a panic attack. In - and out. Easy.”

After a few minutes, Ganri’s respiration had calmed, but he still cried. “Sveiin, _what happened_?

Sveiin sighed. “This is your first mission. Being a soldier isn’t about wearing a shiny uniform. I’m sorry you had to learn the hard way. Now show me the wound.”

He knelt and examined Ganri’s knee, cursing under his breath. “It’s serious but not life-threatening. Stop weeping. I have to clean it. Who knows how filthy that bastard’s blade was.”

Loki changed to an ant and followed them to a sink, where Sveiin washed out the lesion and bandaged it. Crawling nearer, he could inspect his work. He had severed the sinew, a nasty injury. Exactly what he had aimed for. 

In the meantime, Sveiin had finished his work and helped Ganri to a cot. “Lay down. Take some painkillers. I have to go out again and retrieve the bodies.”

“No!” Ganri whined. “Don’t leave me alone!”

Looking down on at his subordinate, Sveiin’s brow furrowed. “The Jotunn’s dead, and I believe he was alone. I’m not in danger, but I’ll be careful, nonetheless. Rest. It’s dishonourable to leave fallen brothers in arms behind.”

He ignored Ganri’s sniveling and left. The opportunity was too good to let it slip, so Loki pushed off the ceiling and turned back to his Asgardian form while falling. Ganri screamed in terror, and Loki silenced him quickly. 

“Be still,” he said not unkindly. “Do you know who I am?”

Ganri shook his head, eyes wide open in fear. 

Loki showed him his Jotunn self for a moment, before turning back. The elf startled, but he was trapped by the wall, unable to move away and weaponless. 

“I believe you still don’t know who I am,” Loki added gently. No need to increase the youngling’s suffering. “I am Loki of Asgard. And the man your queen is searching for is my brother. Admittedly, he hates me, but I can’t allow your realm to kill him, though. I’m sure you understand the sentiment.”

Not seeming to understand anything in his panic, Ganri pressed himself further into the wall. For a moment, Loki pitied him. He doubted the youngling had done anything in his life to deserve this fate. It were always the innocents who were hurt the most by war, and this was war, if the elf knew it or not. 

For Loki it wasn’t the first war, and not the first innocent he had to kill. For long seconds, he stared down at the Light Elf. Before he could get rid of him, he had to search his mind for all the information he needed to pass for him. Loki didn’t want to do it, but it had to be done, so he pressed his hand to the elf’s brow, who couldn’t escape his grip. 

Loki saw exactly what he had expected. The youngling was a new recruit of the royal army, lulled by promises of fame and honour. He saw a happy childhood, a loving family, the horrors the snap had caused and the wish to protect home. After he had gathered all the intel he required, Loki pulled back. 

“I will take your place and travel back to Alfheim in your stead. Once there I’ll have to take another one’s shape, and you will die from sepsis. Do you have any last words you wish for me to deliver?”

Undoing the spell which had silenced Ganri, Loki waited. But the youngling was too far gone in his trepidation to utter anything but “Please, don’t do it, I won’t tell anyone, please, I beg you…”

Shaking his head in sorrow, Loki sighed deeply. “I cannot risk to not kill you. And only in your place I can be completely sure the mages won't discover me or my magic. I already sacrificed half of the universe once, only for a chance to save my brother. I am sorry, if this means anything to you.”

With these words, he ended Ganri’s life with his magic. It was quick and painless, but this was no consolation for Loki. _Nothing I wouldn’t do for you, brother,_ he thought embittered, vanishing the body into one of his pockets. Then he lay down and adopted his victim’s features, including the wound. He didn’t dare to use an illusion, for he had learned from Ganri's mind Sveiin had magic on his own and possibly could see through a glamour. The pain soothed him, somehow. It was a little price to pay for his terrible deed. 

After half an hour, Sveiin was back. Loki heard him making noise indistinctly, probably laying out the bodies for their return, and forced tears to his face while veiling his magic. 

“How are you?” the Light Elf asked when he came to Loki’s bed. 

Loki sniffed. “I want to go home.”

Sveiin stiffened. “We’re heading home now. We have to restore the fallen to their families. And you need the healers.”

Nodding, Loki made a show of trying to get up. 

“Be still,” the elf snapped. “I can steer the ship on my own. You need to rest!”

Laying back down, Loki still sobbed now and then, until Sveiin left him. Soon after he felt the engines come to life and watched Faerlla disappear in the distance. He briefly checked in with Brunnhilde, informing her as she had demanded, then leaned back and closed his eyes. He had reached the point of no return.


	10. Battle Plans

When morning came, Thor knew what he had to do. To his amazement, he felt fresh and rested. New motivation could be - well, a great motivation. 

Rocket knocked at his door, coming to lecture him. Thor let him in and smiled widely. “Good morning, rabbit. Could you fetch Sif? We have to talk.”

The raccoon opened his mouth in confusion, then nodded and hurried off. Only a few minutes later he was back, alongside Sif also with Gamora and Nebula in tow. Thor found he didn’t mind. 

“Listen, friends,” he began as soon as they sat down. “I came to the conclusion drinking won’t help in this situation.” He stopped to smile at Rocket, who was thunderstruck. 

“Did Sif tell you what happened between Loki and me?”

Sif squirmed as the others confirmed his suspicion. “Well,” he said, “after thinking about it, I don’t deem my behaviour right. And knowing my brother, he probably didn’t hide and lick his wounds like me. My guess: he went to Alfheim, probably bringing down the realms on his own.”

Sif huffed in annoyance, the Guardians seemed doubtful. Thor grinned. “Believe me, he is capable of doing so. Nevertheless, I will come to his help. Loki… developed a habit of taking care of problems the violent way, recently. I wish to prevent bloodshed and negotiate. If this isn’t possible, I have to at least bail him out before he gets himself killed or worse.”

He fell silent, eying them expectantly. Slowly, Rocket asked, “‘kay. What do you want from us?”

“Inform you, of course. I don’t need the Benatar to go to Alfheim. I use the Bifrost. In case everything goes adrift, I figured you wanted to know why I don’t come back.”

“Stop this madness,” Sif hissed. “You are going to Alfheim over my dead body!” 

“You can’t hinder me, Sif,” Thor said gently. “And you know it’s the right thing to do.”

“_What exactly_ is the right thing to do?” Gamora weighed in. “Do you intend to make a dramatic entrance, scream ‘You were looking for me?’ and let them execute you?”

“Besides the execution thing, not a bad idea,” Thor laughed. He felt light and optimistic, which he hadn’t in a very long time. Surely not after Ragnarok. 

“He’s insane,” Nebula decided not very reverently. 

Thor rolled his eyes at her. “Nice, coming from the woman who tried to kill the Mad Titan on her own with nothing but hate and a knife.”

“You realise I failed, don’t you?”

“Aye. But Ghadet is not him, and I am not you.”

“Stop him!” Nebula told Sif, who listened numbly. 

“I spent centuries with him,” Sif rasped. “I know when I fight a losing battle.” She turned her head to address Thor. “And I followed you into every battle regardless. You won’t leave me behind today.”

Tilting his head, he replied in earnest, “I didn’t assume you would stay.” 

“What’s happening?” Rocket wondered. “When did we leave the land of the sane for a fleeting visit to madness?”

“The day we met, my friend. And let me assure you, I have no intention to die today. I believe this doesn’t have to end in fire.”

“Popular last words,” Gamora said and exchanged one of her looks with Nebula. “We’re in.” 

Strangely, tears shone in Rocket’s eyes at her words. “I know you don’t remember this,” he whispered, “but this situation reminds of the one when the Guardians of the Galaxy were born. I should tell you the story, if we survive this. By the way, it ended with Groot sacrificing himself and the rest of us bearing the full weight of the Power Stone. Fuck it. I’m coming, too. I go and tell Quill to accelerate the Benatar. Maybe we need a way out.”

Thor had no words. “My friends, this isn’t your battle. You have no business with the Nine. I could never demand of you-”

“Good thing we don’t need your permission,” Nebula snapped.

Knowing when he had to accept defeat, a wide smile appeared on Thor’s lips. “I feel honoured to call you my friends.”

Gamora, Nebula and Rocket left, preparing for battle. Sif stayed behind, eying Thor with a hopeless expression. 

“What is it?” he asked, worried. 

“Nothing,” she said soundlessly. “The usual. You putting your friends in danger, because of him. I honestly thought you had escaped his toxic influence for good, this time.”

“This isn’t solely about Loki,” he reminded her gently. “It’s about the small but important fact that the realms are in uproar, and I still serve as their protector.”

She spoke on as if she didn’t hear him. Maybe she truly didn’t. “It’s funny, you know? Or rather sad. The way he always thought himself inferior to us in your reception, while you adored him.”

“And belittled him all the same.”

“So?” she spat. “All the grief he caused, and you still love him unconditionally.”

Slowly, Thor grew desperate. “Are you really angry with me for loving my brother?” 

“Aye. I believe I always was. Nowadays, you see nothing but him. It will kill you in the end.”

Finally, Thor got what she implied. And he didn’t know what to respond. Why did she deem it a crime that he loved Loki more than her? 

“We haven’t seen each other in a long time, Sif. I have changed, as did Loki. If you would put your hate aside for a moment, you could see it. When this is over, we will speak about it. But know I care about you deeply.”

Obviously, it was the wrong thing to say. Sif pressed her lips to a thin line. “So deeply you did not even once look for me.”

She didn’t give him the opportunity to respond by grabbing her sword from under the bed, and he still stared at her back when the others returned. He had to fix this, but now there were more pressing matters at hand. Together, they made their way out of the airlock, floating through space for a moment, before Thor swung Stormbreaker and the mesmerising light of the Bifrost surrounded them. 

If he ever would have thought about it, Loki would have suspected the elven ships were faster. Obviously he was wrong. The journey to Alfheim took them around four days, and Sveiin was getting on his nerves. He had infected the wound on his knee, after all Ganri had to die once he was safe in the infirmary, which worried Sveiin. Fortunately, the elf wasn’t a powerful mage, or he would have gotten wind of why the wound got worse despite all of his dilettantish attempts at healing. 

Every evening, he reported to Brunnhilde, who slowly grew impatient. She didn’t trust him and doubted he really wasn’t on Alfheim yet. At least she hadn’t tried to reach Thor until now, though Rocket disturbed their fourth meeting. Loki startled when the raccoon appeared out of the blue and was about to vanish his double, when he remembered while calling Rocket could only see what was located on the panel the Valkyrie stepped onto. So he stayed to listen.

“Hey there,” Brunnhilde greeted. She was utterly calm, her composure not showing she had yelled at Loki only seconds ago. 

“How’s New Asgard?” Rocket asked, but Loki could tell his heart wasn’t in it. 

“Great. That’s why you’re calling?”

“I wish it was,” Rocket mumbled. “Listen, we’ve got a little… problem here. Actually, I have no idea what’s all the fuss about, but Thor got angry at Loki and kicked him out. Don’t know where he is.”

Brunnhilde frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? Did they argue?”

“I said I don’t know, would you listen?” Rocket shot back, annoyed. He rubbed his paws over his eyes, suddenly looking tired. “All I know is that Loki could be anywhere and Thor is in his room, drinking away his sorrows. Like in the good ol’ days.”

“That’s alarming,” the Valkyrie said. “Speak to him.”

“I will,” the raccoon assured. “I decided to give him one week until I cut off his supplies, give him the chance to come to his senses on his own. That would be," he turned to the left and checked something Loki couldn't see, "Wednesday, with the Terran calendar. Then I will talk to him, maybe the next morning. He’s not very cooperative when you deprive him of alcohol.”

“Wonderful,” Brunnhilde sighed. “I rely on you. You’re responsible if he does something stupid.”

Rocket’s eyes widened. “No way. He’s _always_ doing something stupid. I am not at fault.”

She laughed. “Okay. Thank you for calling, and kick him in the ass from me.”

With ending the call, she turned around and faced Loki. “I guess this means we have three and a half days until he’s sober again.”

“And probably will take action,” Loki agreed. “We should arrive at Alfheim tomorrow. I come to you as soon as I can.”

He didn’t even consider lying. He would need her to end the war before his dimwitted brother marches into Alfheim’s great hall with a big smile. 

After he had dissolved the mirage, Loki was left alone with his thoughts. He tried to fathom his feelings on the news. Was he pleased with Thor’s state? Sad? A bit of both, he figured. Sending Loki away affected his brother. Loki remembered when Thor said he was broken, shortly after their reunion. Loki hadn’t believed him, then. Now he wasn’t so sure anymore. After years of wishing to get Thor down, it was unsettling to witness the success.

Weary. That’s how he felt.

When they finally arrived on Alfheim, Loki was brought to the infirmary without much ado. He had developed a fever from the infection, and nobody even checked if he was who he seemed to be. It was this kind of negligence Loki had counted on when he had executed his plan. And it showed him the elves didn’t really think themselves at war, yet. 

Lying in a bed, he forced his disease to worsen, which made it hard for him to pull off the exchange of himself and the body in his pocket, for he was surrounded by countless healers. It had to be done, though. He didn’t want any doubts on Ganri’s demise. Should they believe the dirty Jotunn had poisoned his weapon. He didn’t care. 

Loki heard the whispers around him, although the fever hampered his senses. They didn’t give him much of a chance, talking about summoning his relatives to bid him farewell. For some reason, he couldn’t bear the prospect of watching the tears of Ganri’s mother, a passionate and kind woman, as he knew. Not when he had killed her son.

He thought of Frigga, too. What she would look like, sitting on her son’s deathbed, helpless. The fever made him imagine funny things, and he had to put an end to it, before he slipped up and risked the whole mission. 

So he staged his death, again. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, when you once had the knack of it. The healers did their best, but he was better. After every one of them had left the room in defeat, he changed back, and all signs of disease vanished from his body immediately. He left Ganri’s body in the same position he had been in while dying, aggravated the clean wound on the elf's knee and finally turned to a bug which was native on Alfheim. Then he buzzed out of the opened window and orientated himself. He already knew where to find a pathway to Midgard and didn’t waste more time. 

Several hours later, he knocked at Brunnhilde’s door. She opened him after a few seconds, ready and equipped with the armour of the Valkyrior. 

“Took you long enough,” she said instead of a welcome, but her voice didn’t sound accusing anymore. With keeping his promise, he seemed to have proven himself to her. For now, at least.

“Only you would call a five-day journey cross-universe long,” he replied with the hint of a smile. “Now come. It’s a long way back, and we have to draft a battle plan.”

“Only you would call a few-hours journey between realms by foot long,” she gave back, smiling. Somehow, the mission had lifted her spirits considerably. Maybe she truly had missed it.

What they came up with on the way couldn’t be called a battle plan, but it was more than they had before. Loki would turn to an ant again and use a spell on the Valkyrie to give her the appearance of a handmaiden, for now. Later, they would take the places of two of Ghadet's advisors. They had discussed replacing the elven queen herself, but supposed she would be too heavily guarded. Regular magical scans of her surroundings could prove difficult enough without going that far. 

The elven capital lay silent and dark before them when they stepped on Alfheim. Brunnhilde stopped. “It’s been a very long time since I was here last,” she said. “The atmosphere had already been peaceful. Pity the peace is gone.”

“Do you think real peace can exist?” Loki asked, lost in his thoughts. “It appears to me peace is a very fleeting invention.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Brunnhilde wondered. 

He shook his head. “Nothing. Sometimes I’m just tired of fighting battle after battle.”

“I’m an elite warrior. I’d be unemployed if peace was to remain.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Loki asked sharply. “You’re not a Valkyrie anymore. You’re a queen. Obtaining peace should be your foremost priority.”

She stared at him. “I’m still a Valkyrie.”

“You can’t be. If you insist on it, Asgard is doomed.”

Huffing in annoyance, she turned away from the city. “Asgard already survived its doom.”

Loki bit his lips and followed her without answering when she started climbing. They had agreed on sleeping outside the city and entering it at dawn. Glancing at her from behind, he couldn’t forbear wondering about the irony. He was the one educated to rule, and she the one trained to fight. And while she was queen, he was nothing but a soldier at her command. He couldn’t decide if this distribution of roles was blessing or curse.

Soon they chose a secluded cave and lay down without talking further. Yet Loki found no sleep.

The sun rose a few hours later, and they were on their feet again. They mingled with the crowd pouring into the capital and headed for the palace. From previous visits, Loki knew where the servant’s entrances were located. Near one of them they waited for the handmaiden they needed. Whenever one of them made her way outside, Loki quickly stepped behind her and pulled her to a dark corner. There he scanned her mind. Four he had to send away, not without making them forget the whole encounter of course, but the fifth was a hit. 

She was a server and had only left the palace to buy cloth for a new gown. He convinced her she was off for a week and made her visit her family a few villages away. 

As they gazed after her wandering off a little disorientated, Brunnhilde sighed. “I’m still not sure it’s wise to let her live.”

“It’s perfectly safe,” Loki assured her. “She won’t be back in the near future, at least not until we don’t need her identity anymore.” 

In truth, he knew it would have been safer for them to kill the girl. Only Loki wasn't in the mood to do or allow it, not after he had invaded her head. She was no soldier. And the risk was negligible. 

He could sense Brunnhilde wasn’t convinced, but she gave in. After he had instructed her about the handmaiden’s personality, he changed her appearance and turned to an ant, sitting on her shoulder. Reluctantly, Brunnhilde allowed him to speak directly into her mind, the only possibility to communicate. 

“I hate this dress,” he heard her grousing. “It’s an illusion, why can’t I feel like I’m wearing my armour? Which I do?”

“Because an illusion would disappear the moment anyone touches you,” Loki hissed. “This is something more solid.”

“How shall I fight in a dress?”

“You shan’t! This mission isn’t about fighting, you remember? At least not this part.”

Together, they saw to the girl’s duties, Brunnhilde complaining permanently about it. Loki thanked the Norns when finally lunchtime began and they could tend to their next goal. While Brunnhilde served food on the high table, entirely focussed on the task, Loki listened to the talks around them to spot their next target. They needed members of the council who were important enough to be informed about everything, but not important enough to be as heavily guarded as the queen. 

After the meal, they retreated to the handmaiden’s chamber and Loki turned back to discuss their options face to face. “I believe our best chance is the minister of aviation and his wife, who serves as his first advisor. There are other possibilities, but this is the only one that allows us to stick together most of the time. A separation could prove difficult, considering I have to hold up the illusion and guard you from their mages.” 

“Aviation,” Brunnhilde repeated thoughtfully. “Probably relevant. This war won’t be waged only by infantry. Sound’s good to me.”

“Ghadet seems to trust him. If I gathered accurate information, he had a private meal with her yesterday. This can’t hurt.”

“Oh, wait until we find out they sleep with each other,” she suggested smugly. “That could be the performance of my life.” 

He stared at her in wonder. “Do you suggest _you_ will replace the minister?”

“Of course, I am queen. I am far better suited.”

“Let’s put aside for a moment that I ruled as king longer than you and that I spent centuries learning how to run a government,” Loki answered coldly. “I won’t wander around in skirts. This honour is all yours.”

“I could order you.”

“So? I have a reputation of disobedience. And a history of overthrowing kings, may I remind you.”

For a moment, they looked daggers at each other, before Brunnhilde gave in. “Fine. You’re the sorcerer and my way out of here, I guess I can’t force you to do anything. Did anyone ever tell you it’s much harder to work with than against you? You’re a pain in the ass.” 

“I believe you told me,” Loki suggested, blinking at her. “Enough locking horns. We have to find out where their rooms are located. The faster we replace them, the better.”

“Will you tell them they have to visit a cousin urgently?” she asked. “Your sudden hesitation to kill people could prove problematical.”

“I don’t slaughter innocents if I don’t have to," he hissed. “And in this case, I recommend restraint. We might have a few questions for them.”

“What about your mind reading thing?”

Loki groaned. Did regality go along with simplicity? She was just like Thor. “Do you suggest we memorise hundreds of years of experiences and interactions? It’s difficult enough to concentrate on the recent months.”

At this, she stopped arguing and they went on again. After an afternoon of neglecting the duties of the handmaiden (she had to disappear into thin air soon anyway - he would spread rumours of a nasty disease, later), they finally managed to retrieve the intel they needed. The minister and his wife would enjoy a private dinner. Loki the ant snuck in on the shoulder of one of their servants and hid for the evening, until the couple retreated to their bed chamber. He waited a few minutes, and when obvious noise drew out under the door, he smiled. Pity, there seemingly wasn’t a need to seduce Ghadet. 

He told Brunnhilde as much when he opened the door for her. She just rolled her eyes. “Means nothing.”

“There’s not enough time for a roll in the hay anyway,” Loki replied. “Tomorrow we have to find out everything we can, without drawing attention.”

Val nodded, then pointed at the bed chamber. “Do you want to let them finish?”

Sitting down on a bench, Loki smirked. “Why not. Let them have a little joy. It’ll get unpleasant soon enough.”

They waited in silence, until the noises stopped. “A few minutes,” he told Brunnhilde. “It’s easier if they already sleep.”

When they finally entered the chamber, both elves were fast asleep. Loki had used a silencing spell on the chamber before he immobilised the couple and woke them. They opened their eyes and started screaming instantly. 

“Don’t exert yourselves,” he told them. “No one outside this chamber can hear you.” 

The minister hissed, “Who are you? What is this?”

“A hostage situation,” Brunnhilde explained calmly. “My friend and I are currently infiltrating your government, and we need to take your places.”

“We tell you nothing,” the woman scolded. “You can torture us as much as you want.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Loki pointed out. “I take the information we require from your heads. I appeal to you for cooperation, nevertheless. We intend to let you live, but we will change our minds if we have to.”

The elves kept yelling despite his words, even when he entered their memories. Loki selected the schedule of the following day, habits and relationships, before he retreated. His head buzzed with lives which weren’t his, and he sat down for a moment. His hold on the now stilled elves didn’t waver, though.

“Done?”, Brunnhilde asked bored. “Took you long enough.”

“We don’t have a conversation about length again,” Loki sighed. She grinned and let her eyes wander down to his crotch, but he waved her off. “Be quiet.”

“I didn’t utter a word,” she answered smugly. “And don’t order me around, I’m your queen.”

A sharp intake of breath from the bed attracted their attention. “I know who you are,” the minister said. “Darling, these two are Asgardians. They’ll kill us now, and I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry about the salt, and I love you more than anything, and-”

“Cut the dramatics,” Loki interfered and stood again. “It wasn’t Asgard who declared war on you. I told you you would live, and I plan to honour my word.”

“We didn’t declare war on Asgard,” the woman spat. “Our aim is to protect our realm.”

“And you won’t keep your word,” her husband added. “You are the traitor prince. It took me some time to recognise you, but we met before. Rumour says you are dead.”

“The condemned live longer. And I’m not sure I’m still a prince, am I?” Loki questioned Brunnhilde. “What are the rules for succession now?”

“Never thought about it. If I die, I believe Thor has to find someone else to do his work.”

“And they say I was a reckless king.”

“Not the time, Lackey,” she reprimanded him gently. “What’s the plan?”

Loki turned around, until his eyes found a chest. “Once I read a Midgardian book about wizards. One of them held his enemy captive inside an enlarged box. I think I borrow the idea.” 

He suited the action to the words, ignoring the elves’ complaints. Then he gave Brunnhilde the knowledge he had gained and turned them both into the images of their prisoners. 

“After you,” he said and gestured to the now empty bed. 

Brunnhilde grumbled. “Why do we have to take their places now? Tomorrow is early enough to pretend to be in love with you.”

“And if there’s an emergency? Wouldn’t do to find a hostile queen in the minister’s bed.”

“Would spice things up,” she muttered, but got between the blankets. Loki followed.

“Lackey?” she asked after several minutes of silence.

“Wife?”

“Just to tell you, this is the strangest situation I can recall, and I spent centuries on Sakaar.”

“You were drunk, you don’t recall Sakaar at all,” he accused, smiling in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting closer to the finish line... sorry for the late update, I was busy!


	11. Behind The Enemy Lines

“Lady Astreff, Lord Vuggen!” It was the third time they were greeted on their way to the council hall, and Loki didn’t need to nudge Brunnhilde this time for her to remember _she_ was Lady Astreff. 

“Lord Brodal,” he acknowledged the old elf in front of them while she curtseyed. Loki followed with a bow on his own, and the three of them continued their way together. 

“How do you feel about the Jotunn delegation?” Lord Brodal asked conversationally. 

Brunnhilde’s hold on Loki’s arm tightened momentarily, but the elf didn’t expect an answer. “I don’t feel confident this alliance will last. As long as we manage to kill the Asgardian runt first, I won’t speak against them, though. They’re savages, but useful.”

He laughed, and Loki and Brunnhilde chimed in dutifully. 

“Hate makes a strong connection,” Brunnhilde claimed with a wink. “I’m sure it will work fine. They hate him maybe more than we do.”

Loki could have thrown up from the words, and he admired her internally. He always had been a good actor, but spiteful accusations against his brother proved to be difficult now he felt different about Thor. She was right - a little hate made many things easier. 

Alfheim’s council hall was beautiful crafted, with mosaics all over the place. All the same it was overcrowded, with delegations from Jotunheim and Vanaheim shoved in next to the regular council. There were additional chairs set, and navigating through the ranks proved difficult. 

After maybe ten minutes, all invited ministers, rulers and counsellors were seated. There had been a few spells flooding the room, searching for magic, but Loki managed to deflect them without drawing the mages' attention. Then the door at the back side opened, and Queen Ghadet walked in. She took her chair at the top of the tables and welcomed them. 

“My friends, my confederates” she spoke on, “I come before you with news we both fear and hail. This morning, a spy from Midgard managed to confirm that Thor Odinson is still alive.”

She paused for a moment, smiling at the whispers around her. “Indeed, these are dire news. The danger to our realms is real.” She shot a look at a Light Elf located a few seats to her right. “Some of you weren’t confident this alliance was truly necessary, but now our fears are confirmed. And we are ready!”

Spreading her arms, she enjoyed the applause. “Thank you. As queen of Alfheim, it is my sacred duty to protect my realm from the harm of renewed oppression. This applies as well to my dear allies, King Veig of Vanaheim and King Helblindi of Jotunheim.” 

Ghadet nodded gracefully and all attendees cheered again. Loki clapped with them, while scrutinising the two kings. A strange sentiment befell him when he looked at the giant shape of Helblindi. Loki had killed this man’s father, and the Jotunn was his younger brother by blood. Unlike Hela, who he denied any kinship to, he couldn’t gainsay this relation. Quickly he dismissed the smirking Frost Giant, shoving the strange emotions to the side. Thor was his brother, not by blood but by history and choice above all. 

Veig, the usurper of Vanaheim, was a tall warrior, as Loki had suspected him to be. A coup was won by soldiers, not bureaucrats. He relished the applause, without leaving any doubt on his remorselessness. A worthy enemy, intelligent and cruel. Loki would beware of underestimating him. 

So these were the people who threatened Thor. At the moment, he had only a few vague ideas how he could undermine them. Ghadet spoke on, and he listened carefully.

“Unfortunately, the spy won’t be able to tell us the exact location of the oppressor. He has left Midgard, many of their moons ago. Our further course of action will be decided once we find him.”

Helblindi coughed slightly, and the attention of the room focused on him. “What are the possibilities he will return to Midgard anytime soon?”

“According to my soldier, when he departed, he had no intention to return in the foreseeable future,” Ghadet replied.

“Then let me make a proposal,” the Jotunn spoke on. “Let us strike on Midgard with our combined forces. They have nothing to offer in reply to our armies. Asgard has belittled my people for far too long. My father was a weakling when he surrendered to Odin, and I intend to set things right. Our desire for vengeance reaches farther than to a single man. We will annihilate the remains of Asgard. He will come, only to see his people burn before his fate awaits him.”

Dignified silence followed his words. Brunnhilde lay a hand on Loki’s thigh and squeezed, probably feeling his tension. Wasn’t it for a glamour he quickly conjured, all of them would witness him pale. Who’d thought this kind of slyness came naturally to Loki and wasn’t a result of the centuries he had spent on court. It was in his genes, obviously. 

Veig was the first to respond. “I fully support this proposal,” he declared briefly. All of his advisors agreed, as did the Jotnar. 

Then it was the turn of Ghadet’s council, and all of the ministers approved, some even made further suggestions about how to execute the plan. When Loki was next in line, he gripped Brunnhilde’s hand under the table, needing the contact to keep calm. “The proposition is well-wrought. It can’t possibly fail.”

Brunnhilde squeezed his hand, and her eyes met his. She smiled weakly, and he knew what she wanted him to understand. His words were true. If Alfheim, Vanaheim and Jotunheim would strike together, not even the Avengers could prevent Asgard’s extinction. Maybe they would win, in the end. But their fate was avenging, not saving. Loki and Brunnhilde were the only ones who maybe would be able to _prevent_. Maybe. 

As last, Ghadet replied. “I congratulate you to this plan, King Helblindi. Alfheim, Jotunheim and Vanaheim will stand side by side to exact vengeance on the people who let us suffer for so long now.”

After this, the council was dismissed. Many other meetings were held, and for the rest of the day they discussed numbers and time schedules. The day culminated in an enormous feast to celebrate the strengthening of their alliances. It was late when Brunnhilde and Loki finally made it back to their quarters. They sent the servants away for the night and Loki changed them back to their Aesir skins, unable to face the enemy any longer. As he looked into Brunnhilde’s face, it was as grey as he expected his own to be. 

“Well,” she said slowly, “We're fucked.”

“This sums up the day very thoroughly,” he answered numbly. “What a timing. We arrive, and things immediately go to Hel.”

“I don’t think that’s a coincidence,” she objected. “I deem my absence to be the reason they finally gathered enough information. Only a few of the guards even knew about the Vanir spy, and I didn’t inform them about the grand scheme. Without me examining each visitor, the elves were free to enter New Asgard.” 

“Helblindi would’ve come up with the idea regardless,” Loki muttered. “This wasn’t a spontaneous plan. He had time to plot revenge for years now. It seems to be the Jotunn way.”

“He’s your brother, isn’t he?” Brunnhilde inquired gently. 

He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “No,” he told her firmly. “Thor is the only brother I acknowledge.”

Raising her hands in placation, she didn’t press further. Instead, she wondered, “Do you have an idea?”

“Many and all of them inauspicious, I’m afraid. We have to prevent them from attacking not only New Asgard, but the whole of Midgard as well if we want to save our people. This will take time we can’t afford.” 

“Why? The preparations for attack will take several months, maybe years. We have lots of time.”

“You forget a small but important detail. It comes in the shape of a thunder god who won’t allow the problem to rest. And after they killed him, they will level New Asgard to a dessert regardless.”

Brunnhilde cursed. “We could contact Rocket. Maybe he can hold him back.”

“How? By taking his axe? With Stormbreaker he is able to arrive at any moment, as you reminded me so kindly yourself.”

“You’re right.” She gazed into space for a few moments. “You know, I wouldn’t really have called him if you had dodged me.”

Loki stared at her. “You will never hear me say this again, but I’m glad you’re here with me. It’s grounding to have someone by your side. I’m tired of fighting redundant battles, and especially of fighting them alone.”

To his relief, she just nodded and did nothing to mock or thank him when she continued their discussion. “So, what are our options? I’m a warrior, and I assume this war can’t be won by force of arms. We’ll need a more… cunning approach.”

“The only thing I can think of that might work is to use their initial distrust. You heard it yourself, this afternoon. The Light Elves are still wary of the Jotnar and some even of the Vanir. Their conflicts date back millennia, but they don’t forget. I assume the Vanir and Jotnar feel similarly. We have to turn them against each other.”

“No problem at all. After all we have the whole night, because Thor will be here tomorrow!”

“Possibly, but I don’t presume it. He’s sober tomorrow, but I count on Sif and Rocket to keep him in check for a few days. Maybe he’s so hurt by my doings behind his back, he used the night and found a nice little bar where he can drink himself to death. In the meantime, we have to wait for an opportunity to attack.”

Brunnhilde snorted. “I don’t like these sort of plans. Too much left to assumptions and hope.”

“What did you expect?” Loki shouted, frustrated. “Plans always depend on assumptions!”

“I expected more of _you_! You’re the master strategist, aren’t you? Whatever situation awaits you, you always… adjust and achieve the best possible outcome.”

He stared at her. “That’s exactly what I plan to do. But let me remind you how this strategy has served me since Sakaar. Everything went straight to Hel.”

Narrowing her eyes, she shrugged. “Not so sure about that. Hela is dead. Surtur is dead. Thanos is dead. You made it out alive.”

“Because I have a brother who _travelled back in time_ to warn me!”

“But it was you who found the way out. Do it again!”

They looked daggers at each other. At last, Loki spat out, “I hate you.”

“Fine, but hate me while you figure out a strategy, will you?”

Flopping down on the bed, Loki kept staring at her disapprovingly. He wasn’t really angry at her. He was angry at himself. For the first time in centuries, he was too overwhelmed to come up with a plan. Not even after Thanos’s minions had left him insane he had been at loss for direction. Of course it had been a questionable direction, but that wasn't the point. Now his thoughts chased each other, and he wasn’t able to catch one and think it through. 

Val spoke on, and concentrating on her voice freed him of the slowly rising desperation in his own head. “Could you pretend to be a Jotunn causing trouble between the Light Elves? Or maybe you could pose as a Vanir and rile up the Jotnar, something like that.”

“In theory. All of them would reject any responsibility, and they would start to distrust each other. But I have to pose as Lord Vuggen as well. Do you suggest we send the real one?” He paused, an opportunity coming to his mind. “Unless…”

“Unless?” she asked, crouching down in front of him.

“Unless you get what you want. _You_ play Lord Vuggen. It won’t be easy to fend off their mages if we aren’t near each other, but I see no other possibility.”

Chewing on her bottom lip, Brunnhilde nodded slowly. “If I recall the schedule correctly, tomorrow morning there are only endless council meetings set. Lady Astreff will rest to be fit for the audiences in the afternoon, what do you say? There we’ll have to attend both, but before you’ll have enough time to cause turmoil. Can you use illusions as well? As support?"

“I could, but they wouldn’t withstand the warding spells. So morning it is. Preferably they’ll already start to behave hostile at the audiences.”

“Look, it’s a plan!” she grinned smugly.

Loki pushed her shoulder, but her Valkyrie-reflexes saved her from toppling over backwards. She used her grip on his wrist to pull herself to stand and looked down at him. “Do you think it will work?”

“Over time. When I have spread enough rumours, we could kill Ghadet. Maybe I could do it in the disguise of Helblindi and let someone see me. They’ll execute him, and in no time we have a war between Jotunheim and Alfheim. Vanaheim will join Alfheim, probably, and the winner will be much weaker and the attack on Midgard stalled for years.” He paused, suddenly not completely averse to pursue his initial plan and simply kill every single one of them. It scared him a little. 

“You’re uncanny when you’re plotting,” Brunnhilde said. “Didn’t you say Ghadet would be too heavily guarded? If they uncover your magic, the plan won’t work.” 

“Then I kill Veig in her stead. I’d like to, actually. Freyr was a good man, and he murdered him. Furthermore, I believe him to be a capable warmonger. It can't possibly hurt to have him out of the picture."

“The Vanir are even more advanced in magic, won’t they guard their leader?”

Squinting at her, Loki wondered, “What’s your concern? I believe the magical matters are my responsibility. Of course I will test the wards beforehand, and if Ghadet and Veig are too heavily guarded, I’ll kill Helblindi. Not in a Jotunn disguise, obviously.”

“My concern is that they might notice your attacks! Then their reason to stand together will become even stronger than before!”

At the start of their discussion, Loki had been the pessimist, now Brunnhilde seemed to have taken the role. “I assure you, they won’t. Believe it or not, I’m a far better sorcerer than them.”

She snorted and sat down beside him. “All I say is you’re creepy. You mood changes from moment to moment, as does your assessment of our situation.”

“And that’s something new to you? _You_ insisted on accompanying me, may I remind you.” 

“Norns, forget I said something. Just be careful, will you? If you fail your attempt at subtlety, I’m fucked as well. As is your brother, and with him Asgard. Probably even Midgard."

“You think I forgot? _That’s_ the reason we’re here, you ungrateful arsehole! If we take too much time, the outcome will be the same!”

Whilst he was still snarling at her, Brunnhilde buried her head in her hands. “I recall,” she said, muffled. “It’s just… I was so sure I made it. All of Asgard’s sworn enemies have finally perished. No more fighting stupid wars with nothing to gain. They’re not even really our enemies, they just believe themselves to be. It’s…”

She stopped, at a loss of words. “Exhausting,” Loki completed her sentence. “I know.”

Carefully, he lay his hand at her shoulder and gripped it firmly and, as he hoped, reassuringly. He hadn’t known she was just wearing the mask of the untouchable warrior, too. She wasn’t one, like him and Thor weren’t. “Believe me, I know.”

In the morning, they agreed on forging out farther plans in the evening. Loki gave Brunnhilde Vuggen’s face and memories, while he took on the face of the handmaiden. 

“Don’t worry,” he said to her. “I’ll keep a link open in our minds. You can talk to me whenever you need me. And such I can examine all spells you might encounter and take care of them.”

She eyed him, sceptically. All uncertainty of the previous night had left her features. “Why can’t you shapeshift into a bug again? It would be much less conspicuous, I imagine.”

He sighed, but kept his patience. “Because the senses of an insect are not made to spy on anything remotely bigger than a mouse. It costs me a great deal of magic to extend them. Maybe too much if I have to protect us both from discovery, and for sure it would improve their possibilities of detecting my magic. Rather I don’t take the risk. Come on now, it’s time.”

Brunnhilde left the chamber first, falling easily into the slow, dignified stroll of the elf. Good. Loki followed a few minutes later, not wanting to draw attention to the server’s presence in the minister’s chambers. 

Then he wandered around for some time, until he reached the regions of the palace where the Jotnar were housed. There he loitered for a bit, keeping himself occupied with sweeping the floor, until two young Jotnar passed by, chattering about finding a place to spar. Loki knew the Light Elves’ palace didn’t contain a drill ground, so they would be away for some time. 

When they were out of sight, he shifted to the form of the smaller Jotunn. He was still much taller than he would be in his own Jotunn shape. It felt strange, but at least the uncomfortable sensation of heat was familiar to him. As he strolled to another part of the complex lazily, a thought crossed his mind. If this height wasn’t a result of his magic, but rather his natural build, _he_ would be the Jotunn king right now, full of hate and plotting revenge against Asgard. He would be the one who came up with the plan to assassinate Thor. 

Would he?

Without Loki’s envy, the conflict between Jotunheim and Asgard wouldn’t have ignited again. Odin would still be alive and able to support Thor. Laufey would still be king of Jotunheim, a cruel and nasty one, but nevertheless aware of the impacts of war.

Loki forbade himself musing on the thought any longer. What-if questions led to nothing. He was who he was, and he had to make the best of it.

He focused on his environment again and realised he was near the kitchens. Not a bad place to start. Bursting into the next kitchen, he started complaining about the foul food to the confused cooks. When they assured him they had obeyed Helblindi’s wishes completely, he objected and began throwing pots, pans and knives all other the place. He left before the palace guards arrived, turning back to the handmaiden as soon as he was alone. 

During the morning, he kept the pattern. He insulted Jotnar soldiers with being messy as pigs in the person of a passing by Vanir soldier, told a Vanir council member he was a Light Elf historian and wanted to know how they could ever win a war with their incapable army. At noon, all over the palace news of the conflicts had spread, and he witnessed homogenous groups of the three races whispering to each other in silent corners. 

When he met Brunnhilde for lunch in the minister’s chambers, he was in high spirits. The plan worked far better than he had dared to hope. One common enemy obviously wasn’t enough to overcome centuries and centuries of distrust between the realms. 

Even Brunnhilde was slightly optimistic by now. “One of the healers broke up a meeting I attended,” she told him as they ate. “She was out of her mind, claiming a Vanir general had called her a dirty whore who didn’t know what she was doing as she tended to his dislocated shoulder. Nice job!” 

She rose her glass to him, and he laughed, agreeing with her. “It’s getting better than I assumed. We might succeed, after all.”

At this point in time, he was confident. After their meal, they received a message from an envoy. Brunnhilde broke the seal and skimmed the parchment. Loki waited impatiently for her to finish. “What?” he demanded to know.

Ignoring him, she finished without haste. Only then she looked up at him, and a wide smile spread over her face. “I think I might love you, you genius bastard!”

Before he could ask, she tossed him the letter. “The audiences are cancelled, because of the complaints Ghadet convenes a meeting between all parties!”

Loki already had read as much when she told him. “In the throne room!” he ascertained. “That’s marvellous. It’s a measure to show off her power. She feels threatened!”

When he lifted his gaze, she was right there in front of him and gave him a short, but smacking kiss one the mouth.

“Ugh, what was that for?” Loki asked, taken aback.

“Don’t be smug about it, Lackey. I kiss everyone who manages to overthrow three realms a morning!” She went to the bathroom, whistling. Loki shook his head. She was a very strange woman indeed.

Barely an hour later the Light Elves, the Vanir, the Jotnar and two Asgardians had assembled in the throne room. The facility was splendid, and under different circumstances Loki had admired it for hours. Now he was busy following the exchange between Ghadet and Helblindi, which was still polite, but slowly inflamed. Veig was surprisingly quiet, listening with a frown. 

Carefully, Loki tapped Brunnhilde’s wrist. She tilted her head slightly. “Don’t touch me until I tell you otherwise,” Loki whispered.

One of her eyebrows raised. “I’m afraid I gave you a wrong idea when I kissed you,” she breathed back. “Believe me, I’m perfectly capable of keeping my hands to myself around you.”

Loki just rolled his eyes and turned to a bug, leaving an illusion behind in his stead. He was halfway through the room, aiming for Veig’s party to spy a little, when his bug senses reported him disturbances behind him. He apprehended he would draw attention to himself if he expanded the insect’s senses too much, so he once again took his seat next to Brunnhilde. There was a group entering the hall, clad in worn travel coats which hid their faces, followed by reams of guards.

Ghadet stood. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded to know.

Only now Loki noticed the guards weren’t able to touch the intruders. Whenever they tried, they bounced off of an invisible energy field. Mages then?

One of the guards rounded the strangers and spoke. “My queen, we couldn’t hold them of. They forced their entrance and demand to speak to you!”

“No audiences today,” Ghadet stated firmly.

“Sorry,” one of the strangers snarled. He was far smaller than his companions, and even without being able to see his face under the hood, Loki had a sinking feeling in his stomach who he was. “We’ve come too far to turn around like that.”

“Who are you?” the queen all but screamed, almost losing her composure. 

“We’re the Guardians of the Galaxy. ‘Sup?” Rocket answered. 

Well, fuck.


	12. A Truce It Is

For a few seconds, there was nothing but dead silence in the throne room. Brunnhilde’s fingers clawed into Loki’s arm. He wondered absentmindedly, _didn’t I tell her to not touch me?_

Seemingly, Ghadet had recovered quickest. She leaned back a little, considering the Guardians with a frown. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you. And nothing I received explains your disruption of my council.”

“We heard there were audiences today,” Rocket gave back. “When they were cancelled, we weren’t bent on simply returning to the sixty-seventh quadrant. I’m not shitting fuel, you know?”

The council members murmured, but Ghadet overheard the use of foul language. “What do you want here?” she asked. The guards were still trying to reach the intruders.

“First things first,” Rocket said, lifting his hood, seemingly at ease. Either he was a much better actor than Loki gave him credit for or they had a very good plan. Somehow, he doubted both options. “Would you tell your guys to leave us alone? We got it, we’re impolite, but we’re already here, so let’s get over it, yeah? We just want to talk a little.”

While Ghadet exchanged glances with Veig and Helblindi, Loki carefully sent out his magic to learn how they kept the guards away. If they found a way to protect Thor reliably from attacks, this still could somehow work out in their favour. Because Loki would swear on his life one of the hooded figures behind Rocket was his brother, the Greatest Idiot in the Galaxy.

When he found the source of their ward, he all but screamed in frustration. It was a small item, probably one of Sif’s souvenirs from Vanaheim. The spell was powerful but short-lived. Once activated, the item lost his abilities in the span of minutes. It could be a matter of seconds now.

_Father, I know you’re watching. Please tell me you can drop the building on top of my head now. I’ve had enough_, he thought feverishly. 

Then Ghadet nodded, and the guards retreated. They left the hall, doubtlessly to take up position just outside the front entrance. Loki breathed deeply. They still had a chance of surviving the day. 

“Thanks,” the raccoon said. 

“We’re not here to chatter,” the queen answered. “What are your concerns?”

_Don’t_, Loki pleaded internally. _Don’t say it. Don’t -_

“We heard you were looking for me. Well, here I am.”

Thor’s rumbling bass filled the room, and when he took off his hood with sparks dancing around his fingers, the council was thrown into turmoil. He just stood there, proud and tall, and met their glances without averting his eyes, completely calm, a forgotten smile lingering on his lips.

No one kept their seat, some of the councillors and their guards already drew weapons on their way to Thor and Loki had only the blink of an eye to react. He cast a sealing spell on all the doors while he leapt sideways to the throne podium. The moment the spell started to operate, he had an arm around Ghadet’s neck and a dagger at her throat. 

“Stop!”

The magically fortified yell had the desired effect. The whole room froze, all eyes focusing on Loki, including Thor’s. The other Guardians had dropped their hoods as well by now and formed a circle around Thor. Sif, Gamora and Nebula. What a compilation. They eyed him warily, weapons drawn.

Ghadet struggled against his hold, but it was easy to overpower her. “Keep still,” he snarled, nevertheless. Imagine her slitting her throat at his knife on her own, that would be just what he needed.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Thor sounded confused. 

Careful to not move her throat against the blade's cutting edge, Ghadet spat, “Why don’t you tell us? You’re the one who is threatening to kill me.”

Thor lifted his hands placatory. “I’m just here to ask you why _you_ are intending to kill _me_. I don’t know who _this_,” he nodded into Loki’s direction, “is and I don’t know why he… does what he does.”

Loki searched frantically for an escape, when he sensed something. The queen’s mages tried to uncover him. It was a strong revealing spell, though he could have managed to withstand it. But he knew what they would find under his glamour… It was a gamble. He liked gambling.

So he doubled his efforts on keeping Lady Astreff’s face on Brunnhilde and simultaneously allowed them to vanish his own disguise. He was forced to his birth body, and again noise arose when the elven lord keeping his queen hostage changed to a foreign Jotunn. Good. Let them think the Jotnar played both sides of the fence.

Gasping, Ghadet screamed, “Helblindi! What is your play?”

The Jotunn king was standing, gaze fixed on Loki. Loki locked eyes with him. It was easier to look at this brother, who as yet had no idea who Loki was, than at the other, who for sure by now was toppling over backwards, suffering a heart attack. Or sending lightning to grill Loki, one could never know. 

“I assure you, I have nothing to do with any of this. I’m not even sure this is a Jotunn. Look at him, he is pathetic, small and puny. I have never heard about a Jotunn less than ten feet tall. He’s trying to play us off against each other," Helblindi said through gritted teeth.

The madness in Loki made him speak. “Ah, ah, ah, watch your mouth, little brother.” Somehow, he felt like he was on a stage, and in full control of the actors. He smirked, enjoying the impact of his words. Despite being Jotunn himself, he wasn’t familiar with their facial expressions, but Helblindi looked as if a bilgesnipe had spit him out after chewing him thoroughly. 

"I have never met this man in my life," he declared, furiously. "And certainly he is not my _brother_!" 

"Well, I am, and I am not," Loki replied light-heartedly and nodded in the direction of the Guardians without looking at them. "I will explain everything to you once you let them go."

He could sense the mages trying to neutralise him, but he could measure up to them. “You’re magic isn’t strong enough to challenge mine,” he told them. “Of course, over time, I will tire, but before I fall I will slit your queen’s throat. So _stop_ bothering me!”

Ghadet nodded slightly, careful to not hurt herself, and the mages ceased their spells. Luckily, because he wouldn’t have been able to hold them off without an effort for much longer. And how he hated making an effort. “Now let them go,” he repeated.

Until then the only one still remaining in his seat, Veig chose the moment to finally rise. "I don't think so. With all due respect, no single person's life is worth more than the safety of three realms. If you decide to kill the queen, we will slaughter you and the Asgardian runt in revenge, but we won’t trade three peoples against her."

Loki could feel Ghadet tense from his words, but she didn't contradict him. Surprisingly, it was Thor who responded, and Loki couldn't help himself - his gaze flickered to his brother. For a moment, their eyes locked, but unfortunately Thor gave nothing of his emotions away. Their last parting had been awful, and for a second fear clouded Loki’s mind. Then he focussed on the words Thor was saying.

"Listen to me carefully, you owe me that at least. I did come here in peace, of my own free will, because I want to prevent bloodshed. Your worries are unnecessary. I don’t intend to raise a claim to any of the realms, neither now nor in the future. I offer you assistance against threats from outside of Yggdrasil. All I ask of you in return is peace between the realms.”

“Liar,” Helblindi spat. “You speak of peace, while your… _associate_ is threatening the queen of Alfheim?”

Thor hesitated. “That… wasn’t a part of the plan. At least not of my plan.”

“Oh, your _plan_.” Veig’s voice was soft and gentle, unfitting his stony face. “Boy, I don’t care about your plan. You are a danger to us, and we will eliminate you.”

Fascinated, Loki watched how Thor seemed to become even bigger. He fetched Stormbreaker from where it was fastened on his back. “I said I came in peace, but if you insist on treating me as an enemy, I will behave like one. Do you see this blade? Do you know what it was made for? As a weapon against the Mad Titan. Unfortunately, it separated his head from his shoulders only after he completed his malicious plan. It had not a small part in reversing the effects of the snap, though. If you try to harm me or any of my companions,” he sighed, “including the _Jotunn_ next to the queen, I will use it. I don’t want to, but I will.”

“Maybe we could talk,” Veig said, unmoved. “If you could persuade your lackey into letting the queen go.” 

Loki couldn’t help himself. When Veig used his nickname unaware of its meaning, he started laughing. “Oh, but I am not his lackey. He can’t order me to do anything, especially nothing so stupid. The moment I let her go, you will command your men to attack. I’d prefer to delay killing them for now.”

Obviously, Helblindi felt insulted every time Loki opened his mouth, so he questioned. “Then what do you want?”

Shrugging, Loki said, “I want you to let all of us go and never even think about attacking again. I am not burdened with scruples, though. If I have to kill every single one of you to achieve my aim, I won’t hesitate.”

Helblindi’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you,” he demanded to know. “Why did you call me your brother?”

“Oh, that was a joke. Laufey may have sired me, but my father was Odin Allfather. I am Loki of Asgard.” To lend substance to his words, Loki changed to his Asgardian shape. “And I’m not here to play. I know of your plan to level New Asgard. I’m afraid this won’t be at issue.”

With interest, Loki watched the effects his speech had on the Jotunn. Helblindi’s mouth opened and closed without uttering a word, totally at loss. 

“Are you proposing a peace treaty?” Ghadet asked. She didn’t seem like she was overly concerned about her life being at stake, Loki had to give her that.

“I am,” he affirmed. "Between New Asgard, Jotunheim, Vanaheim and Alfheim. And Midgard as well, I suppose. Because even if you didn’t condescend to declare war properly, we’re fighting one."

“You are not the leader of what remains of Asgard,” Veig said sharply. “You are not in the position to negotiate peace.”

Quickly, to preempt possible intervention from Brunnhilde, Loki answered, “To arrange an immediate meeting with the Asgardian queen will take only seconds, if you agree on one.”

Veig smirked. “I’d like to see that trick, little snake. You can release the queen for that matter. I’m agreeing on a truce during the duration of such a meeting.”

Fastening Stormbreaker on his back, Thor said, “Aye. A truce.”

With a sudden pang, Loki realised Laufey’s second son hadn’t been told he had an older brother who was the rightful heir to the throne when he looked into the Jotunn king’s hard face. Well, _Loki_ had learned of his heritage in the heat of the moment, hearing it in the middle of a tense situation with allied and hostile regents present probably wasn’t ideal, either. After a long silence, Helblindi seemed to have overcome the shock of discovering the identity of the intruder. “A truce. For the duration of one meeting.”

Ghadet snorted. “A truce means you take the knife away? I approve.” Loki hadn’t taken her for one to possess gallows humour. It seemed he had been mistaken.

“A truce it is,” he confirmed, vanishing the dagger into one of his pockets. Ghadet removed herself from his reach with a few steps. For a moment, there was a tense expectation - would they all keep their word?

“My queen,” the elven chancellor began, drawing closer to her liege. “Shall we arrest the intruders?”

“No,” Ghadet replied after a moment of consideration. “A truce for one meeting. Step back.” She turned to Loki, who watched, hands clasped behind his back. “Is Lord Vuggen dead?”

“What are you thinking,” Loki exclaimed, overstated scandalised. “He and his wife are in perfect health. They are in a chest in their bedroom.”

The queen nodded, then her eyes darted to the form of Lady Astreff. “His wife?”

“Oh,” Loki said, delighted with the cue. How he loved dramatic entrances. He extended his hand, and Brunnhilde came to him. While she walked, he changed her appearance, giving her her own body again, and instead of her simple armour she now wore a ceremonial one. It was just an illusion, but Loki only aimed for show. If they had to fight, her own armour would protect her, visible or not. When she was near enough, he took her hand and helped her to climb the stairs to Ghadet's podium. She let him, clearly amused. “It is my most humble pleasure to introduce Queen Brunnhilde of Asgard.” 

She shook her head, smiling genuinely. “Stop it, Lackey. You had your fun. Thor, would you come over here? No need to scream through the room. You two, too.” She pointed at Helblindi and Veig, who stared at her in disbelief, but followed. 

Loki summoned chairs from the other side of the room, and soon they were seated in something that barely resembled a circle: Brunnhilde with Loki on her right and Thor on her left, facing Helblindi, Veig and Ghadet, who kept their distance to each other. The Guardians stood behind Thor, while the Light Elves, Jotnar and Vanir closed up to their leaders. 

For a few moments, there was uncomfortable silence. No one seemed to quite know how to proceed. At last, Brunnhilde clapped once. “Fine. What about catching up first? So we’re all up to speed?”

She got no answer, then again she didn’t need one. “Loki and I knew about your alliance for a few months. We didn’t tell Thor because we expected he would come here - seems we were right. When he learnt about your interest in his person, we decided to act and infiltrated your ranks, leaving him behind. So we know of your plan, King Helblindi.” She turned, addressing the Guardians and Thor, who eyed her wearily. “He proposed to attack New Asgard to draw your attention and bring you to return. After they kill all Asgardians, they want to get rid of you. This morning, Loki was trying to sow the seeds of discord into the alliance. It worked quite well. Your story?”

Thor swallowed. “I needed… time to get used to the idea of a conspiracy against me. When I made up my mind, I figured Loki probably had something planned to deal with the situation. I didn’t want anyone to die because of nothing, so I came here. They,” he nodded over his shoulders, “voluntarily accompanied me. We have nothing in mind but talking.”

“Thank you,” she smiled. Loki wondered how she could be so at ease, when every other soul in the room was inclined to kill the others on the slightest opening. “Your Majesties, do you want to add something?” 

Veig distorted his mouth in disgust, but Ghadet spoke. “I don’t know how you can muster the audacity to come into these halls, claiming we have nothing to fear of you. Alfheim was occupied by Asgard for longer than I am alive.”

Joining in the conversation, Helblindi added, “The last conflict between Asgard and Jotunheim took place only a decade ago. My predecessor, King Laufey, was killed then. We do not forget so soon.”

“May I interject?” Loki interfered, courteously. “King Laufey was killed when he tried to murder Odin Allfather in his sleep. By me, may I add. I deem this my right, considering he was my birth father and had left me to die as a defenceless infant. What do your laws suggest in such a case?”

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Helblindi had to admit, “I am not sure. I never heard of a case like that.” He turned to the other Jotnar, who just shook their heads. 

“So I don’t consider the loss of your king relevant in this negotiation,” Loki pointed out swiftly. 

“And what of other crimes?” Helblindi shot back. “If I am not mistaken, _you_ were the one who focussed the might of the Bifrost on Jotunheim, nearly tearing apart the realm in the process?”

“I give you that,” Loki responded, gesturing vaguely in Thor’s direction. “But do you know who stopped me by destroying the Bifrost? The man over there. So it’s pointless to direct your vengeance at him.”

“Does that mean you will stand trial for your doings?” Helblindi questioned slyly. 

“I won’t,” Loki snapped. “It was a time of war.”

“So the permanent damages on Jotunheim don’t matter?”

Now, Loki hesitated. Helblindi had a point. “No. But I think I might have a solution. The Casket of Ancient Winters was not destroyed in Surtur’s flames.” He summoned the cube from the deepest of his many interdimensional pockets. “Would handing it to you be sufficient enough to prove our peaceful purposes?”

He was distracted from the Jotnar’s disbelieving stares by Thor’s accusing look. Sighing, he put the Casket away once more and opened a mental link to speak with his brother in private for a second. There should be enough time, the Jotnar had to confer after all. “What?”

The surprised alarm on Thor’s face almost made him chuckle, but he pressed on. “I believe the Casket is theirs and they could need it to rebuild. Why aren’t you pleased with me for once? You were the one so keen on peace.”

“Didn’t you tell me you didn’t possess the Casket? I’m not pleased with you because you chose to lie to me once more, brother.”

Thor calling him brother caught Loki on the hop for a second. They had evaded the phrase the whole time, and he wasn’t prepared to hear the familiar term of endearment again. “I didn’t. You just assumed. We were fighting a dragon, _brother_. There was no time to discuss why the use of the Casket was a bad idea at the time.”

Sensing Thor’s annoyance, he dropped the connection in time to receive Helblindi’s answer. “We accept a permanent truce under the condition of the return of the Casket of Ancient Winters, as long as there are no acts of war.”

“Great,” Brunnhilde chimed in. “As long as you use it only for the good of your realm, and not to conquer worlds. Any other grievances?”

Enraged, Ghadet pointed her finger at the Asgardians. “Are you suggesting we should take nothing but your _word_ as assurance? After you suppressed us for centuries and centuries?”

Finally, Loki’s patience snapped. “You aren’t talking to the one who suppressed you! That was Odin. _Thor is not Odin._ All he did to you was fighting against your enemies. You saw him, during the convergence, when the Dark Elves attempted to ruin the Nine Realms by bringing eternal darkness to them! He stopped Malekith, and it nearly cost him his life. And when the Mad Titan slaughtered half of all the living, what did you do to oppose him? Let alone to reverse his deeds? Thor, along with _Midgardians_ of all the people, figured out a way! And they succeeded! Even this creature has contributed his share,” he pointed at Rocket, who watched him uncomfortably. “Do you really think Thor deserves your hate?” 

For a moment, he paused to take a breath. A side glance showed him Thor bending his eyebrows. He couldn’t decipher the look on his brother’s face, so he went on. “I don’t care what Odin did to you, millennia ago. All I know is that he’s dead, and Asgard has paid the price for his mistakes. We have a new queen, who didn’t do anything to offend you. So your revenge is needless, and I ask of you to stop. We won’t wage war, neither should you.”

Leaning back in his chair, Loki folded his arms and glared grimly at the regents. He had said all he could, there was nothing more to add into consideration. Either it had been enough for Ghadet and Veig to finally give in, or they would fight. Gradually, he was fine with either option. Who would have thought the Jotnar would be the most reasonable ones.

“Um, well,” Brunnhilde began uneasily, “he speaks the truth. Neither Thor nor New Asgard will take actions against any of the Nine Realms, unless provoked.”

Thor just nodded, gaze fixed on the floor. Loki wondered what he thought. He hoped he would learn, someday. 

“Alright,” Ghadet said finally. Her voice sounded tired. “We agree on a permanent truce. If you break it, we will bring down the whole force of the Light Elves on your heads.”

“We expect nothing less,” Brunnhilde assured solemnly. 

Now, all eyes went to Veig, whose expression was still unreadable to Loki. Just when the Vanir king opened his mouth, Nebula suddenly lifted her hand to her ear, calling, “Wait!”

She stood still, probably listening to the comms. A weird feeling in Loki’s stomach made him expect the worst. He was not wrong.

Nebula’s hand dropped to her sword. “Quill says there’s income. A whole fleet of airships is currently debarking all around the palace. There are soldiers emerging. Who are they?” she shouted, and her eyes narrowed. “Vanaheim,” she spat.

Veig smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!


	13. As It Ends

“Is she telling the truth?” Ghadet demanded to know. “Who gave your troops permission to infiltrate my land!”

“I’m not asking for permission,” Veig said. “I had my fleet nearby the whole time, in case you or the Jotnar would betray me. What you did, in a way, by abandoning our mutual cause. Vanaheim will never again bow to anyone!”

With his words, the spell Loki had used to obstruct the doors was broken, and Vanir soldiers marched in from all sides. They all leapt to their feet, unsure where to turn first.

Loki’s first impulse was to stop Veig in the same way as Ghadet, but there was a force field he couldn’t breach in front of the king. He cursed. Vanir mages were far stronger than the elven ones, he hadn’t found them when he had searched shallowly for magic wielders at the beginning of the meeting. Now they didn’t cloud their powers anymore, and he knew his side was in serious trouble. 

Thor and Brunnhilde took a stand back to back, and the Guardians circled around them. Loki joined the line of defence, getting in between Rocket and Nebula, right in front of his brother. Sif on the raccoon’s other side glared at him poisonously, but Rocket just winked. Idiots, the whole lot. He fetched Dragonfang from one of his pockets and handed it to Brunnhilde, who nodded her thanks.

In the meantime, Veig had assembled his army behind him. The Jotnar and the Light Elves were pushed to the back of the hall, but Veig addressed them, nevertheless. “Tell me,” he asked gently, “Helblindi, Ghadet - will you join me? It will end now. Either you’re with me - or against me. There won’t be any peace treaties with Asgard as long as I am alive.” 

“If you choose to stay out of this, I will present you with his head and the truce still stands,” Loki shouted. Vanir soldiers were much more capable than most armies, but they could beat them. Nebula and Gamora were a force to reckon with, especially together. Brunnhilde was an ancient elite warrior who had lost nothing of her bite. Rockets toys were made to destroy much mightier beings. After living with the Vanir for nearly a decade, Sif knew anything about their fighting skills there was to know. And Thor and Loki? They had survived Thanos, so what could possibly withstand them? For sure not some simple Vanir soldiers.

Ghadet straightened while he was lost in his thoughts. She nodded, and then their mages opened a hidden doorway. Within a few seconds, all Light Elves and Jotnar vanished. They had chosen what they believed to be the winning side. Give Odin they were right. 

Suddenly, Loki was startled by a touch on his shoulder. Thor’s hand gripped it briefly, but reassuringly. When he took the hand away, lightning washed over his frame, and all of them had to step away to get out of reach of the raw power. Thor closed his eyes, and as they opened again, they were filled with lightning, too. Thor’s travel coat vanished and his armour appeared, right where it belonged. “For Asgard!”, he screamed, and Loki, Brunnhilde and Sif chimed in.

“For Asgard!”

With that, the fight began. 

Soldiers closed in from all sides, and many of them fell during their first foray. The Guardians were armed with blasters and shot some of them. Thor electrocuted many more, while Loki threw dagger after dagger. But the superior numbers of their enemies soon required hand-to-hand combat, where especially Sif and Brunnhilde excelled. 

Loki knew they would break their circle with time. He looked for Veig. If their leader fell, the Vanir might be persuaded to surrender. The king refrained from participating in the fight. He had retreated to the far wall of the throne room, surrounded and protected by a dozen of his powerful mages. They attacked from the distance, and although until now not many of their spells had found their aim, they had to be disabled. Loki opened the mental link with Thor again and told him as much. “You must distract the soldiers for a moment,” he proposed. “Keep them busy, so I can make my way over there.”

“I have a better idea,” his brother insisted. “Ready?”

“Of course, what’s your -”

Thor gripped Loki by both shoulders, lifted him up with little effort and threw him across the hall, screaming enthusiastically, “Get help!”

Loki knocked over some unprepared Vanir before he found his footing again. As soon as he stood, he looked around wildly, expecting the soldiers attacking him mercilessly. But it seemed at the same time he had thrown his brother, Thor had leapt forwards with the help of Stormbreaker, aiming for the averted side of the hall. There they all strived, only for Thor to cut them down. It was all the distraction Loki needed, who saw his opening. In mere seconds he had reached Veig and his mages.

Now it was time to fight with magic. He conjured a few doubles, who all charged at the mages at the same time. He managed to take out two of the magicians before they discovered which of the Lokis was the real one. Then they concentrated their might at him, and Loki was thrown to the ground, all air knocked out of his lungs. The soldiers drew closer, and he wasn’t even able to breathe. He thought he was done, watching in a strange detached way as a soldier bent over him and a spear aimed at Loki’s heart. Hopefully, this was only Svartalfheim, all over again. In case it wasn’t, he prepared to roll aside, though.

Before he could react, the soldier’s eyes grew wide and a blade pierced his breast from behind. His body was thrown to the side, and there was an outstretched hand, hauling Loki up. 

“Sif,” he said soundlessly, looking into her black eyes. 

Releasing his forearm, Sif cut down two soldiers. “Take care of the crazy sorcerers,” she shouted, adding more quiet, “I have your back.”

“That's unexpected,” Loki murmured to himself, screaming back, “Like old times!”

Sif called something, and within a moment Rocket emerged at their side. With the raccoon and an old sister in arms watching over him, Loki faced the remaining mages, who seemed surprised by him standing up again. He didn’t give them enough time to pool their power and overthrew one by one. 

When he reached the last, Loki’s magic was very drained. His superior skill didn’t save the effort of having to overpower his enemies by pure strength, and all of them had artifacts at their disposal that helped them to avoid his attacks. Luckily, his last opponent had to maintain the protecting force field around Veig on his own, and Rocket’s ongoing hits at the barrier complicated the task. Loki waited for a gap in the lines of the arriving soldiers to signal Rocket to aim at Veig full force, and fortunately the raccoon understood. 

They attacked at the same time, and the mage had to give up under the pressure. He fell, but in his last moments he knocked Loki, Rocket and even Sif to the ground. They rose immediately, and when Sif and Rocket started to fight the soldiers again, Loki found himself face to face with Veig, a big battle axe in hand. Panting, Loki managed to evade the first strike. He needed rest to refill his magic, but he was still able to fight by hand. One dagger in each hand, he met Veig’s next hit, deflecting the heavy blade to the side. 

It wasn’t an even fight, though. Veig was an excellent, seasoned warrior and completely fresh, while Loki had given most of his strength to win against the mages. Veig aimed a strike at his neck, and when Loki turned to escape it, he hit him with the handle at the temple. It felt like a boulder tried to smash him, slicing his skin. There was blood flowing out of the cut, restricting his vision. He stumbled, disorientated, and only managed to dodge the killing blow out of sheer luck - by tripping over a body on the floor. 

Once again on the ground, Loki desperately watched out for Sif and Rocket, but both of them were entangled in fights on their own, a few feet away. Smiling, Veig weighed the axe in both hands while he crossed the little distance between him and Loki. Fully expecting to see Valhalla in a span of seconds, Loki crawled backwards weakly, bumping into another body. The axe was lifted and Veig laughed cruelly. How cliché. 

Then, his laughter died down, his mouth twisted into an ugly grimace, and he slumped, only held by Thor’s strong grip on his shoulder. 

Loki stared at Thor as if he was a ghost, not fully believing his eyes. His brother let Veig's body drop to the floor, inspecting his hand curiously. “I stopped his heart. A strange feeling,” he said, matter-of-factly.

Looking at his brother on the ground, Thor frowned. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Loki responded, trying to blink the blood away. 

“You’re lying again,” he accused Loki, but it sounded amused. “Have you enough energy left to fortify my voice for a moment? I have to try to end this.”

Weaving the spell was much harder than it ought to be. Loki’s head fell back on the floor, and he closed his eyes exhausted. His mind swam, and he directed all magic he was able to spare to his wound. Norns, Veig could have probably punched New Asgard single-handedly into the ground. 

“Soldiers,” Thor’s voice yanked him back from his musings. “Your king is dead. His life was the reason there couldn’t be peace between the realms. Lay down your weapons now, and we will have mercy on you. You may return to your families, we won’t make any demands.”

For a moment, the noise of battle didn’t cease. Then it ended abruptly. Every one of the still standing Vanir capitulated. Slowly, Loki’s head cleared, and he stemmed himself up to sit, very carefully. Thor, who had supervised the surrender suspiciously, dropped to his knees and supported his back.

“Let go of me,” Loki muttered testily.

Of course, Thor didn’t follow his wishes. “You can’t be off too badly if you’re already snapping at me again,” he said cheerfully. 

“I’m not snapping at you,” Loki snapped. He cleaned the blood from his face, his magic restored enough for the simple task. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

He turned a little, to face his brother. “What did you think? Coming here unprepared! Did you expect you just had to smile, and they would fall for your charms?”

Rolling his eyes, Thor claimed, “We had these little warding things in case of emergency. It did work out, didn’t it?”

“Only because Brunnhilde and I were already here! Wasn’t it for me, you’d have died the second you revealed yourself!”

“Oh brother, I felt very confident I’d find you here.”

“Why?” Loki spat, sheering off from his brother. “Because I always come back, regardless of how hard you try to get rid of me?”

Thor’s face fell slightly. “No, Loki. Because you’re a better brother than me.”

Now, Loki had enough. He jumped to his feet, towering over Thor for once. “Stop mocking me!” 

“I didn’t intend to mock. I am honest. _You_ were the one trying to protect me all along, and _I_ was the one who couldn’t handle it. Although your methods were dubious, I give you that.”

Loki felt his face getting red out of fury, when he heard noise from outside of the room. He conjured a dagger for each hand in the blink of an eye, while Thor leapt up, Stormbreaker ready. 

They waited in dreadful anticipation for a moment - did they Light Elves decide to attack them? Were there more Vanir soldiers? Did Helblindi play a double game? - and then - Quill walked in. His gaze fell on Gamora on the other side of the room, and his eyes lit up. 

“You guys alright?” he screamed. Mantis, Drax and Groot lined up behind him.

“You’re late,” Nebula hissed, relaxing from her fighting stance. Her artificial arm was torn to shreds with wires poking out, but otherwise she seemed alright, as did the others. 

“Sorry,” Quill answered, sounding not sorry at all. “We had to take care of like a million airships out there.You’re welcome.”

He turned around, spotting Loki. “What are _you_ doing here?”

“I infiltrated the hostile ranks to destroy them from the inside. We had to… improvise.”

Shrugging, Quill already made his way over to Gamora, who awaited him half pleased, half exasperated.

“Tree?” Thor asked, raising his voice. “Are there any ships left?”

“I am Groot.”

“What did you expect?” Loki teased him. “He’s a teenager. Question Quill, if he can break away from Gamora for a minute.”

He felt relieved when Thor marched away. He was overjoyed to see Thor holding no grudge against him, but the self-blame had to stop. Loki a good brother? How could he say such things without even flinching. 

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Loki searched for Brunnhilde. She was already on the way over to him. 

“Well, Lackey,” she smiled. “Not quite the way I expected the afternoon to proceed.”

“Not really,” he agreed. “Shall we look for Ghadet and Helblindi? I suppose there’s a peace treaty to seal.”

She clapped him firmly on the shoulder. “We shall, my prince.” 

He smirked. “After you, Your Majesty.”

Side by side, they made their way through the bodies of the fallen soldiers. Loki didn’t allow himself to pity them. The way the remaining soldiers had surrendered immediately after Veig’s fall implied they had fought out of duty, not belief. He had experienced too many wars by now to think all enemies he had slaughtered were _truly_ his enemies. But to dwell on the thought meant going insane, so he let it go. He was grateful the losses hadn’t been greater, and especially that his side was still complete.

They found Ghadet and Helblindi in the queen’s chambers, deep in conversation. They looked up when the guards let them in. 

“I believe you promised me a head,” the queen said stoically. 

“I didn’t dare to bring something as disgusting into your chambers,” Loki gave back, enjoying their talk already. Ghadet seemed to be a pleasant person to trade courteous insults with. “If you want to inspect the body, be my guest.”

“This is my home, not yours,” she told him gently, but not without reminding him he had no home. There was no Asgard anymore. “While you were otherwise engaged, we drafted a contract for a permanent truce. I suppose we have to wait until Vanaheim has a new king to sign it, but you should oversee it.”

Together, Brunnhilde and Loki bent over the parchment, skimming through it. The clauses were simple and short, and only contained assurances of peace between Midgard, New Asgard, Jotunheim, Vanaheim and Alfheim. Further, there was Loki’s renouncement of the Jotunn throne and the handing over of the Casket of Ancient Winters included. 

When he reached the bottom, Loki lowered the contract. “We agree.” Brunnhilde just nodded.

Helblindi, who had deliberately avoided to look into Loki’s direction until now, straightened in his chair. “On all terms?”

“On all terms,” Loki confirmed, locking eyes with the king. 

Relief flickered over Helblindi’s features. “May I speak in private with you for a moment?”

Exchanging a quick glance with Brunnhilde, who half-smiled, Loki said, “Of course.”

One of Ghadet’s guards showed them to a small dining room before he left them to themselves. Loki sat down on the edge of the table, exhausted but not comfortable enough to use a chair. Helblindi started to pace, before he hesitantly glanced at Loki. “Could you - change back?”

Sighing, Loki went up again and shapeshifted to his Jotunn body. Helblindi stopped in front of him and glared at his markings as if they would confirm his story. Maybe they did. Reluctantly, the king reached forwards and touched Loki’s brow, who flinched, but didn’t retreat. Probably this wasn’t an unusual behaviour between Jotnar. 

“You are my brother,” Helblindi stated soundlessly. 

Loki grinned without joy. “As I told you.”

“You told me you are and you aren’t. To shock me, I suppose. But - I don’t understand. How did you end up on Asgard, furthermore as a son of the Allfather?”

“He found me,” Loki all but whispered. “After the war had ended, when he retrieved the Casket of Ancient Winters. He picked me up, curious about my lack of height. And I - I changed, to resemble an Asgardian. So he took me with him.”

“Why? You were the son of his enemy.”

Loki closed his eyes. Why did he have to tell Helblindi who he was? “I am not sure. I only discovered I wasn’t Asgardian a few years ago. We never talked it out properly. We... weren’t exactly on speaking terms when he died.” 

_Frigga would be proud._

_I love you, my sons._

_Do_ not _think about it, you fool. Not now._

The king didn’t ask further, for what Loki was grateful. The next topic wasn’t much more pleasant, though. “When you… killed Laufey, did you know who he was? To you?”

“Yes, I knew. I had learnt the truth shortly before.” Loki could not think what came over him to utter the following words. “I - was the one who led him into Asgard, so he could attempt to murder Odin and I could prevent the assassination. I did it partly to take revenge on him, for casting me out, and partly to prove myself to the Allfather. It didn’t work well.”

Helblindi had opened his mouth during Loki’s little speech, breathing heavily and showing of his impressive fangs. Loki half-expected an attack, when he shut his mouth abruptly. “I understand.”

That Loki doubted, but he was glad the Jotunn didn’t probe further. The Jotunn. Loki himself was Jotunn, but the term didn’t seem to fit him. _Well, Father,_ he thought, _ it seems you have finally achieved your goal: I am an Asgardian. Too bad Asgard is no more._

They rejoined the queens, and the four of them walked back to the throne room. Thor was nowhere to be seen, but before Loki could freak out, Sif appeared out of thin air right next to him. “He’s bringing the soldiers back to Vanaheim,” she explained. “By Bifrost, Quill did a thorough job destroying their fleet.”

“Thank you,” Loki replied automatically, before he remembered who he talked to. She was already leaving his side, but he caught her at the shoulder. “Sif, wait. Please.” 

She humoured him, although without facing him. Her posture promised she listened, though. He didn’t know what to say, but he hoped his silver-tongue wouldn’t betray him. “I never apologised to you, did I?”

She huffed, shoulders tensing. “For what?”

“You know, for everything that went wrong since that thrice-cursed failed coronation. We weren’t friends, but allies, nevertheless.”

She lowered her head. “Do you suggest everything was your fault?”

“No, I don’t. But I played my part, as did you. And Thor and the others. All I wanted to say is - thank you for having my back today.”

“You would have done the same,” she claimed, although she didn’t sound completely convinced. He nodded, despite her not seeing it. 

“Am I dismissed?” she asked, and Loki winced. 

“If you want to,” he snapped. “You are not at my command.”

Now it was her who nodded. Before she left, she glanced over her shoulder quickly. “You know,” she said thoughtfully, “before that day - the coronation - there was a time when we were friends.”

Thankfully, she didn’t wait for an answer.

Thor came back not long after, having arranged date where they would come together once more and sign the peace treaty. They met outside of the palace, in front of the Benatar. 

“Could you take me back to New Asgard?” Brunnhilde asked. “I didn’t exactly tell them what I was doing or how long it would take. I’m afraid Korg has abandoned monarchy by now.”

“Of course,” Thor smiled. 

Sif cleared her throat and stepped forwards. “I’d like to join you, if you have me,” she said. “I’d like to see if any of my friends have survived Ragnarok. And what New Asgard is like.”

Naturally, Brunnhilde invited her to live with the other Asgardians. Thor’s eyes were sad. “Do you have to leave already?”

“It’s for the best,” Sif declared carefully. “Don’t worry, we will see each other again. Soon.”

Thor nodded, holding her gaze. There was something unspoken in their exchange, and Loki asked himself what had happened between them. 

Brunnhilde interrupted his thoughts. “What about you, Lackey? You haven’t been to New Asgard, either. Only to pick me up.”

The question caught Loki napping. He hadn’t thought about his own future, until now. Carefully, he searched for Thor’s expression. He had told Loki to leave his sight. Had he meant it this time?

When his eyes found Thor’s, he was greeted with a look of dread. “We will visit soon, Brunnhilde,” Thor declared. “We’re just one ride with the Bifrost away, and you can reach us any time. We promise we call. Right, brother?”

Loki smiled weakly. “Right. Sorry, my queen.”

Brunnhilde just winked at him. What a bitch. Lulled them into expressing their feelings in front of everybody, at least kind of. “I will miss you terribly,” she purred.

He stepped closer to her, lowering his voice seductively, only for her to hear. “No one to kiss on New Asgard?”

Laughing hard, she declared, “You’d wish.” With that, she drew him into a short but heartfelt one-armed hug. “Take care.”

Then she strolled away, seeing off the Guardians. Loki caught Sif’s gaze and nodded. She hesitated, before returning the gesture barely noticeable. Soon Thor swung Stormbreaker, and the three of them vanished into the light of the rainbow.

Exhaling, Loki went over to Quill. “Well then, roomie. Glad to have me back?”

“Overjoyed,” the Midgardian retorted, but with a twinkle in his eyes. Loki noticed he and Gamora stood closer together than usual. Probably he had scored in her eyes by coming to Thor’s aid. Not that Loki blamed him. It were the best heroic acts that came with a big fat advantage for the hero.

On Gamora's other side was Groot, openly bored, at least until she poked him with her elbow and whispered something in his ear. Then both of them laughed, at least Loki thought the strange noises the Flora Colossus made sounded amused. Quill scowled in their direction, and they laughed even harder at his face. 

There was a giant shadow behind Loki, and when he turned around, Helblindi towered over him. “We are returning to Jotunheim,” he said. “I’d lie if I said it was a pleasure meeting you. But... if you want to visit someday, I promise to take time. There are a lot of things I’d like to talk about with you.”

Reluctantly, Loki answered, “We’ll see. I think about it.”

The king twisted his lips in something that resembled a smile. “Farewell.”

Loki watched as his huge little brother took his leave. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to take this path, bonding with his birth-family. He was glad Helblindi wasn’t the monster he initially took him for, though. Maybe, in a thousand years, when he had nothing better to do, he would travel to Jotunheim.

Then the Bifrost-side lighted again, and Loki’s real brother returned.


	14. Asguardians Of The Galaxy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the end of the journey! I have to submit my diploma thesis next week, and there's still much to understand, which I don't do, so I decided to finish this story instead. Enjoy!

It was strange, entering their chamber again, Thor thought. He had left only this morning, but the world had been another then. Today, he had had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of how it would have been to be king, and he was relieved it wasn’t his burden to bear. He couldn’t shake off the thought Loki would have excelled in it, though.

They had acted clumsily with each other during the evening, with the other Guardians present. Quill had insisted on throwing a big “Saving the Day” party, if you could call it a party without liquor. Rocket had claimed there hadn’t been enough time to refill their stores, and Thor had decided to believe him. It was more probable they didn’t trust him with alcohol, so shortly after his latest relapse, and he couldn’t hold it against them. 

Now, he and Loki were back in their chamber, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. “You were impressing today,” Thor offered. “Without you, I don’t believe the war could have been avoided.”

Loki shrugged, eyes flickering to the plant tubs with the withered nordstjerners. Thor’s face fell. “I watered them, but it wasn’t enough,” he tried to defend himself.

Waving him off, Loki crouched down in front of one pot. “They need light. You could have done nothing to prevent their death.”

Suddenly, the lifeless flowers made Thor unbearably sad. He sank down on the couch, propping his head up on one arm. “I’m still sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Loki said. “When I’m stronger, I will plant them anew.” 

He rose, back turned to Thor, who patted the place next to himself with his palm. “Would you sit with me?”

Sighing, his brother complied. He sat down, but kept his head bowed, so Thor couldn’t see his face behind a curtain of black hair. 

Thor didn’t know what to say. The tension was almost palpable. “About Stazni…” he began eventually, still having no idea how to proceed. 

Thankfully, Loki interrupted him. “I don’t want to hear any apologies, and I don’t want to apologise. Let’s pretend it never happened.”

“No,” Thor objected. “Hela said Father’s solution to every problem was covering it up. That’s not how I want to be. So let’s not start this way.”

“Oh, so suddenly you don’t want to be like him?” Loki asked with staged surprise. The sarcasm wasn’t lost on Thor.

“Not so suddenly, I think,” Thor replied. “I’d like to learn from his mistakes.”

“So no picking up infants of the enemy and covering them up as your own for you.”

Thor smiled absentmindedly. “_That_ certainly wasn’t one of Father’s mistakes.”

Straightening up a bit, Loki said, “You know, that’s funny. This morning, I tried to imagine what my life would have been if I was just a few feet taller. Laufey wouldn’t have cast me out, and I would be the crown prince of Jotunheim now.”

The thought frightened Thor. “We would have never met.”

“Possible. Or, more likely, we would have met on the battlefield. On opposite sides.”

Frowning, Thor mused, “I can’t even imagine my life without you.”

“No?” Loki questioned. “A lot easier, I presume.”

“Maybe. And a lot less fulfilling. Having no brother? A dreadful scenario.”

“You’re exaggerating. One cannot miss what he never knew.”

“Look who’s talking,” Thor snapped, annoyed by Loki’s nonchalance. “You’d have a brother either way.” 

“Actually, if I had stayed on Jotunheim, I’d have two brothers. Laufey had two sons after me.” 

The topic made Thor uncomfortable. To be honest, he had never thought about Loki having _another_ family beside Thor’s. “You still have them. Undoubtedly, Helblindi won’t keep the news to himself.”

Only now Loki turned his head for Thor to see his eyes. “No, Thor. I have only _one_ brother I acknowledge.”

The statement made Thor go silent. There was a pressure in his breast, similar to grief. He didn’t know why. 

Loki seemed to sense his stress, so he changed the topic. “What happened between you and Sif?”

“What? Nothing,” Thor blurted out. Why must his brother be this perceptive.

“Of course. Nothing. That’s why she fled to New Asgard as soon as possible. After spending exactly one week with you.”

“There wasn’t something _happening_. It was just - I don’t know. She was angry with me, I believe. For not coming for her. And-” He stopped himself. 

“And?” Loki pressed. When Thor kept his silence, he prompted, “Because of me?”

“In a way,” Thor admitted. “She’s not overly fond of you.”

“To Sif, loyalty is everything. She could never forgive me for betraying you, and if I brought back Asgard single-handedly,” Loki pondered. “You know, she came to my rescue today. That’s the strange thing about Sif’s loyalty. No matter how much she despises me, today we were on the same page and so she had my back. Still loyal, although reluctant.”

“I have to make up with her,” Thor determined. 

“Don’t worry about her. She will like New Asgard. And Brunnhilde will see to her.”

That was a less hurtful topic Thor liked to discuss. “I can’t believe I didn’t ask sooner. _You and Val_? How did you convince her to join you?”

Laughing, Loki leaned back, making himself more comfortable. “I wanted to go alone. After trying to order me to pick her up on Midgard, which I declined, she threatened to call you. I have to admit, it was nice to have her with me, though. She did well.”

Thor smiled. “Oh, so now you’re on board with my decision to make her queen?”

“I’m just glad you and me won’t have to rule,” Loki retorted. “It’s exhausting.”

Uneasily, Thor asked, “Are you sure? After what I saw today, you’d make an excellent king.”

“Well, thank you for the compliment,” Loki replied drily. “But today was hard work. I’m not one for hard work.”

“It paid off. Thanks to you, there were only a few casualties instead of a war. Imagine them going through with their plan… What do you think, will they keep their word?”

“In the foreseeable future, I believe they will. They saw what we could do, today. They know this war would cost many lives, and even if they win it wouldn’t change much. The thing is - nobody sane _really_ wants to conduct war. But everyone will do it, be it to keep their faces or take revenge or from a strange sense of protection. And after the horrors every world was put through by the snap, I figured they'd all be grateful for a pause. So I showed them an alternative.”

Now, Thor sighed. “You did. Handing over the Casket. Imagine Father’s face.”

“I do. He’s probably already on his way from Valhalla, desperate to kick my ass.”

“You know, I wouldn’t mind. There are a few things we should have discussed while he was still alive.”

“As you said, he was into covering up. Do you think he would give up his method of eluding?”

Thor shrugged. “He is dead, what does he have to lose?”

“There are a few things. Respect, for once. Or love, as far as a sentimental fool like you is involved.”

Instinctively, Thor felt the question hidden behind the teasing statement. Loki was curious about his feelings concerning their father. Inclining his head, he groaned, “Oh, as the leading expert in sentimental foolishness I can tell you he didn’t lose my love. I believe he never will, regardless what more secrets and hidden agendas we might discover. Though I wished I could yell at him for a bit. It’s a shame that’s not possible.”

What followed was a long pause. Thor waited for his brother to condescend to give an answer, of course without success. So he prompted, “Would you enlighten me? What are you thinking, dear brother?”

To his surprise, something like embarrassment crossed Loki’s features, if only for a moment. “It’s… nothing, really. You just caught me off-guard. But you always do, nowadays. Like I said, sentiment.” 

“That’s not what you were thinking about,” Thor insisted.

Then, Loki laughed, a trace of helplessness in it. “I would often talk to him, in the years I waited for the time I could finally meet with you. I did it again, last week. When there was no one but him who could listen. _If_ he is able to, I am not sure.”

It wasn’t an answer Thor had expected. “What would you tell him?”

“At the beginning, it was mostly yelling. But at some point, I… I don’t know how to describe it. It felt like peace. Or how I imagine peace. Then I would tell him about my day. What I planned once you returned.” He hesitated briefly. “I must sound even madder than usually.”

“You know, it’s no shame to love his parents,” Thor said with a little smirk. “Even if there is a not so pleasant history. But - we had good times, too.”

Loki huffed. “I never said I loved him. There are still times I hate him with an intensity that would scare you.”

“One doesn’t exclude the other, I suppose. The opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s-”

“Not caring at all, I know. That’s how you got me on Sakaar, you sneaky bastard.”

“I won’t apologise for what I said on Sakaar. You came back.”

“I tend to,” Loki answered bitterly. “Whether I am welcome or not.”

Thor rolled his eyes. “Don’t you get it by now? You’re always welcome with me. On Stazni - you weren’t the problem. I was.”

“I said I didn’t want to talk about Stazni.”

“Then listen, for the Norns' sake. I didn’t like what you did, I still don’t. You have to stop acting behind my back, that’s not the question at issue. But _I_ have to stop acting like an infant. That’s not how this whole love-your-brother thing works. Walking away, the second something’s not to your liking.”

“Sending away,” Loki corrected icily. “And don’t tell me what to do. You’re not Mother.”

Arching an eyebrow, Thor teased, “You know she would tell you the same. She told _me_ it was important how I would succeed at being who I am, not who I am supposed to be. I am your brother, and I failed you. It won’t happen again.”

“Norns, Thor!” Loki shouted. “You can’t prevent failure. I failed you, you failed me, countless times. Doubtlessly we will keep the pattern. _That’s_ who we are.”

“I don’t believe that, neither do you, when you’re honest. You’re just uncomfortable with expressing feelings.”

“I have no feelings,” Loki grumbled. 

“Wrong, again. Now you’re annoyed.” 

“That’s not a feeling, that’s the state someone’s in who has the misfortune of staying near you.”

“Why do you have to make this so hard? All I wanted to tell you is that I’m grateful you’re here, despite my efforts of pushing you away, and that I’m intending to do better in the future. You’re really trying, did you know that?”

“I’ve been told once in a while,” Loki smirked. 

Throwing his arms up irritated, Thor asked, “Could you be serious for one moment? I’d like to discuss the future.”

Surprisingly, Loki’s expression grew more sober. “I contemplated the future,” he said. Thor waited in anticipation for his answer.

“I believe the future to be an abstract concept, consisting of billions and billions of fleeting moments, which all are destined to become the present, until they inevitably fade away to something we call past.”

The look Loki gave him was so full of complete honesty and seriousness that for a moment Thor couldn’t grasp what he heard. When it sank in, he opened his mouth, knowing not how to reply to this utter mess of nonsense.

“Now you look like the fool I know you are,” Loki proclaimed, feigning astonishment.

“One second. I have to remember why I like you,” Thor growled. “Or I get you in a headlock and prevent you from speaking ever again.”

“You don’t like me, you love me,” Loki declared. “And I truly don’t know what's to discuss. We already spoke about it.”

“No we didn’t! Not after Gamora returned. Are you sincerely fine with Nebula _and_ Gamora sharing the same roof with you?”

“Why not? They fought at our side today. Or did you force them to come?”

Thor groaned. “I wanted to go alone, too. I knew Sif wouldn’t stay behind, but bringing the others was not my intention.”

“Then why didn’t you wait? Don’t tell me you can’t get rid of two cyborgs, if you really want to.”

“I had already lost enough time with self-pity. I feared you would burn Alfheim down if I waited. What wasn’t far from the truth.”

“Being dramatic is my thing, don’t steal it from me. As is self-pity, may I remind you.”

Actually, Thor wasn’t so sure about that. Not after the last years. “It wasn’t just self-pity, I think. Nebula said I drank to not second-guess my decision to segregate you and I believe she was right. Partially, at least.”

“You talked with _Nebula_ about me?”

“With both of them. That’s probably why they insisted to come. They said they owed you, although I didn’t ask why.” 

“Oh, I helped them to repair their relationship. Manipulated them into it, even. I believed their bond had to strengthen for us to stay on the Benatar, and we had to so you wouldn’t think about going to Vanaheim again. Quite funny, isn’t it? It actually worked,” Loki stated matter-of-factly.

Hesitating for a moment, Thor decided to finally bring up a subject he had wanted to talk about for years. “They told me other things, you know. About when they met you-”

He was stopped by Loki’s forefinger pressing over his mouth. “Don’t,” Loki hissed. “Don’t go down this path. It’s in the past, and there’s no need to discuss _anything_.”

They looked daggers at each other, until Thor slipped the tip of his tongue between his lips and touched Loki’s finger with it, who withdrew it immediately. 

“Ugh, that’s disgusting, Thor!”

“You had it coming,” he answered with a honied voice. 

Loki huffed. “I was serious, regardless.”

“It’s alright. We talk when you’re ready.”

“Thor-” Loki began with a dangerously low voice.

Thor was tempted to stop his brother by using his hand, but decided otherwise. Where he would only tip his Loki’s finger with spit, Loki would coat his entire hand in it, for sure. He was a little brother, after all. So Thor decided to use words. “I guess we’re in the world saving business now.”

Shutting his mouth, Loki eyed him suspiciously. Then he said slowly, “I believe so.”

“Saving the world, as Guardians of the Galaxy. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

The look on Loki’s face changed suddenly. Thor expected complaining, but was surprised once more. Loki said dreamily, “Asgardians of the Galaxy.”

“That’s what I said?” Thor asked, confused.

“You don’t understand me,” Loki responded, grinning. “Asgardians! Of the Galaxy.”

Only then Thor got it and started laughing, remembering how he boarded the Benatar more than a year ago. “Don’t let Quill hear. He’s not very fond of the expression.”

“I can imagine,” Loki exclaimed, beginning to laugh, too. “We should officially rename them!”

“We could use an ‘u’ in Asgardians, even!” Thor tossed in. “Asguardians!”

“That’s brilliant, brother. I have to say, I’m surprised by your wits. Must be the first time in centuries you came up with something funny, if not the first time ever.”

Thor overheard the teasing conscientiously. “We could print it on t-shirts and make them wear them on missions! You will certainly find some leverage to blackmail them.”

“Brother,” Loki said earnestly, clasping Thor’s face with both hands and looking him in the eye. “I have never taken more pride in you.”

Smirking, Thor punched him lightly at the ribs. “I am not sure this is a compliment.”

“It is, believe me. Together, we will wreak mischief on this ship,” Loki said solemnly.

They laughed about the imagination for some time, before they decided to go to bed. When they lay side by side, staring at the ceiling, Thor felt almost at ease. He had thought it would be difficult with his brother, and for sure it wasn’t easy, but they had become slightly better at making up over the years. As long as he managed to keep Loki by his side, Thor was of good cheer all would work out eventually. 

Carefully, he wrapped his hand around Loki’s wrist, sensing his pulse. His brother let him with a little sigh. 

Later that night, Thor woke with a scream, shaking. He was alone, but he shouldn’t be, it was wrong, where was - “Loki!”

“‘m here,” his brother murmured. 

Thor turned around, heart beating painfully in his chest. “I sent you away!”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m back,” Loki yawned. Thor reached for him, desperate to get some proof. He poked him, and Loki was really there, in flesh and blood. 

With a single sob, Thor threw himself on top of his brother. “I am so sorry, I didn’t mean it, please don’t go…” he uttered feverishly. 

“You’re not fully awake, brother,” Loki said loudly to drown his blathering. “We have already reconciled. Would you let me sleep now? I’m tired. Brunnhilde snores like a crazed bilgesnipe.”

Reluctantly, Thor let go of him and returned to his sleeping position, face away from Loki. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “You’re right.”

He heard a deep sigh and rustling of blankets. The next moment, he felt his brother move closer. Then one of Loki’s arms was thrown over his side. Thor took the silent offer and again clasped the wrist with his hand. There was the steady heartbeat. His own wouldn’t slow, though. 

“I’m here,” Loki whispered. “Remember? We talked about the Asguardians of the Galaxy. We could begin the project in the morning. A huge logo would look exquisitely well on the Benatar, wouldn’t it?”

Despite himself, Thor chuckled softly. “It would. And uniforms!”

“That can be arranged. At a pinch, I use an illusion on them. They couldn’t fight back.”

Slowly, Thor calmed down, warming up to the ideas his sleepy mind produced. “Maybe we can use the board computer to replace all mentions of the Guardians with ‘Asguardians’! You were always good with archaic tech.”

“Whatever you say, brother. Go to sleep.”

“Or we could write it on their brows, so there’s no escaping it,” Thor continued, shaking with suppressed laughter. 

“Enough," Loki groaned. He entangled his hand from Thor’s, only to reach for his brow, touching it shortly, but firmly. “Sleep now. We talk in the morning.”

There was just enough time for Thor to catch the wrist again, holding to it like a lifeline, before the effects of the spell began to work and he drifted off.

In the morning, Loki was already up when Thor woke, reading on the couch. Thor grunted a “Good morning” and stumbled to the bathroom. He still felt exhausted. After he had relieved himself, he stepped to the sink, washing his hands. Then he splattered water into his face, trying to drive away the lingering tiredness. When he looked up to see if there were shadows under his eyes, he was wide awake in an instant. Enraged, he screamed, “Loki!”

He heard laughter from the chamber, ensued by the sound of a closing door. 

On his brow, right where Loki had touched him the previous night, there was a lettering displayed, in neat, small runes. 

_Asguardians of the Galaxy_

Indeed, the God of Mischief was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it ends. Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to leave a comment, I won't hinder you^^


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